Villain Deku
by Skykadet13
Summary: Izuku Midoriya had always wanted to be a hero, even if he didn't have a quirk. But when his idol says his dream is impossible and a traumatic event has him seeing heroes in a whole new light, how will he react? Will that childhood dream survive? Or will Deku no longer be the name of a hero?
1. Chapter 1- Origin of a New Type of Hero

**Author's note: This is my first fanfiction, as I'm sure you will be able to tell. I'm taking a few liberties with characters and backstories in order to make the whole premise more believable. I've seen so much Villain Deku fanart that I really wanted to expand on the whole concept in a believable manner.**

 **I do not own My Hero Academia. Obviously.**

Chapter 1

Origin of a New Type of Hero

* * *

Well, today could've gone better.

I let out a loud sigh, contemplating the events of the day on my walk home. It was the last year of middle school, and the teacher had been looking over our submissions for Career Day. Naturally, everyone had checked that little box next to "Pro Hero". So why was it so weird that I had done it?

The name's Izuku Midoriya and I want to be a Hero. But I don't have a quirk, as my classmates were quick to point out. Especially Kacchan. My teeth grit a little just thinking of him. We've been friends for years and he's been picking on him for just as long.

* * *

He was the first to jump down my throat when the teacher mentioned that i had checked "Pro Hero" as well.

"You, a quirkless little geek? How could a nerd like you be a hero" he shot at me. I stood up meekly. "W-w-well, I've been working out a lot, plus I've got my bl-bla-black belt, so I was thinking th-that maybe it could happen". I force the words out before looking Kacchan directly in the eyes. That was a mistake.

"WORKING OUT?!" he roars, letting loose an explosion that knocks a third of the class into the wall. "You think pumping 30 pounds twice a day makes you better than me?!" Actually, I was up to 170 as of yesterday but I chose to not bring that up. "And your black belt?! HA! It hasn't saved your pathetic ass from me!"

That was kinda true. Despite the years of martial arts practice, I had never been able to fend him off when he got on the warpath. It proved more than effective against the rest of the bullies in the classroom, as well as some neighborhood gang members. But Kacchan was way too powerful to lose to a few high kicks. But I keep standing. "W-well, I thought that I could at least try…". That was another mistake.

Pure rage flashed across Kacchan's face before he started staring at the floor. He walked towards me,slowly, dragging his feet with each step. His hand landed on my left shoulder and both his face and voice were lined with enmity.

"How about you listen to me, pal?". Everything about this scenario suggested that I was not his pal. "You take the U.A. exam… and you'll die. So how about you just sit your worthless ass down?". His hand began smoking, a sure sign that I was either gonna sit down or be forcefully relieved of my left arm. I had no choice but to meagerly accept his demands and sit down. He shoots one more superior glance at me before setting himself in his own chair with both feet propped up. I spent the rest of the day taking notes with my head in my hands.

* * *

Overall, a pretty bad day. But I've still got to keep my head high. Just like All Might! I really believe it, I believe that I can be a hero, no matter what they say! I let loose a guttural laugh just All Might. But I'm interrupted by a gurgling sound coming from the sewer cap behind me. A pile of slime rockets out from the sewer and lands in front of me. I don't have any time to react before tendrils of muck wrap around my body. It begins to envelop me, covering my entire body. It's so thick that I can't move an inch. Slime stretches over my mouth and it feels like it's trying to force itself down my throat. I can barely muster the energy to keep my mouth closed. I'm left with no way to breathe. I can feel darkness slowly enveloping my mind as I drift into unconsciousness. Tears stream down my face as I wonder to myself.

Am I going to die?

My struggle slowly stops as I feel the last of my hope fade away. Suddenly, the sewer cap rumbles again. However, a monster doesn't merge this time. Instead, it's a tall, muscular man with strange blond hair and a heavily shaded face. All Might.

The slime monster has no time to react before All Might dashes forward and wrenches me from my prison. Quickly, he follows up with straight jab from his free hand. It doesn't make contact but the raw force behind it blows the monster apart, splattering him across the floor. The recoil of the punch proves too much for me as I feel my brain shut down and my eyes slowly close.

* * *

I feel multiple light impacts on my cheek. I open my eyes to see All Might looming over me, and lightly slapping my face in an attempt to rouse me from my slumber. "Excellent, you're awake," he bellows before laughing. His voice is so booming that just his laughter shakes me. "You were in quite a pickle right there! But, you're safe now so don't worry! The villain has been apprehended," he says, motioning to two full bottles of slime. "If you're alright now, then you'll have to excuse me! Justice awaits!" He turns and begins to walk away. "Um, w-wait," I weakly stammer. This is my chance to find out, once and for all, if my dream really is impossible. I won't let it slip by. All Might begins to crouch, staying still for just a moment. I take the opportunity and grab his leg.

We rocket off the ground with incredible force and are soon soaring through the air. It's at this point that All Might realizes that I'm attached to him. "Are you insane, lad?! Let go!" he yells over the sound of wind. All of my strength is dedicated to holding on for dear life so I don't respond. "Fine, just hold on!" he says as he looks from left t right for a landing spot. He decides on an abandoned building. Despite our intense speed, our landing is relatively gentle. I drop off almost immediately and hit the ground. "Never do anything like that again!" All Might commands before turning away from me. "Wait!" I yell out, "I have a question for you!" He turns back and responds. "What question could possibly be worth almost dying?"

Time seems to stop. I gather all the courage that I have. I plow ahead without hesitating. "I don't have quirk but I want to be a hero more than anything. Everyone has always told me that it's impossible. So I want the answer, straight from the Number One Hero. Is it possible to be a hero, even if I don't have a quirk?"

He pauses for a moment before addressing me sternly. "No."

My brain stumbles a little. His reply is so casual, as if the answer was obvious. A few seconds go by before he continues. "There are some villains that just can't be fought without a quirk. There are some people that can only be helped by someone with a quirk. If you are quirkless than you'll only be able to go so far before you find yourself unable to help someone in a desperate situation." He stops for a moment, as if there's something else that he wants to add. But he doesn't. He simply turns away and leaps into the sky, leaving me alone with a sense of harsh rejection.

* * *

There was a commotion on my way home, but I felt way too apathetic to go check it out. What was the point? Whatever I learned from the fight would be useless information. After all, I could never be a hero. All Might said so himself.

I make it back to my apartment. Mom usually would have started cooking dinner by this point, but when I open the door. I don't smell or hear anything. There's a note on the counter.

"Hi Izuku-darling! I hope you had a great day. I was going to make katsudon for you tonight, but it just so happens that we're out of pork. I'll be down at Hanamasa for groceries, so you stay safe. Love You!".

It's unfortunate that she had to make my favorite food on what might be the worst day of my life.

Now, I'm just sitting on the couch doing my hand grip exercises. A part of me thinks how pointless it is to work out now, but feeling the strain on my muscles makes me feel a little better. I absentmindedly surf channels with my other hand.

"Breaking news from the hero agencies!" the T.V. bursts out. I must've gone all the way around to the news channel. The news lady looks concerned so I stop to watch. "Residents in the Tatooine district should be on guard and prepared to evacuate!". I live in that district. I straighten up and start paying more attention. "We have received reports of a massive battle between an unknown villain and the Pro Hero Tremor!".

Tremor is a bit of an up and comer on the scene. His quirk, Earthshaker, causes massive, somewhat uncontrollable, localized earthquakes. It's a dangerous power, especially in such a crowded area. Just as I contemplate this, the ground begins to shake.

"RRAAAUGHHH!"

A massive roar reverberates through the building. I lean out the window to see the origin of the ear splitting noise. It looks like it came from the commercial district. I see what looks like the giant villain from this morning, punching the ground. He must be trying to hit Tremor. "That must be where they're fighting" I whisper aloud to myself. "That really is close. It might even be in the shopping district." A horrible feeling hits me right in the gut. "B-b-but she's fine, right? There's no way that…" Oh god no. The battle seems to be happening right next to a massive pile of rubble.

A pile of rubble that's sitting right where Hanamasa was.

I sprint to the door and wrench it open, barely bothering to close it as I dash through.

"There's no way…" I utter weakly to myself. "I'm sure that she got out". I pound those words into my head, but I keep thinking about how slow she is when it comes to reacting to emergencies. She has a bad habit of freezing up, kinda like me. But what about now? Would she be too startled to react? To save herself?

* * *

I push those thoughts away, and keep pounding my feet against the sidewalk, pushing myself faster and faster. I'm already at the shopping district. I see a large crowd formed behind a police tape barricade. "Excuse me, sir!", I yell at one of the officers. "Are there any heroes performing rescue operations on the scene?". "No way, kid!" he replies with vigor. "The fight is way too intense! Plus, all the evacuated civilians are over there". He notions towards a large group of people. My heart soars for a moment before I realize that she's not in the group. I start breathing a little faster. "Have you seen a short lady with green hair?". I force out the words timidly and the officer can see that I'm grasping at straws. "No kid, no one like that". My breathing gets even faster and more shallow. I took the exact route to the district that she always takes, so if I didn't see her… If I didn't see her… and she didn't get evacuated with everyone else… then.

My legs move on their own. I'm over the fence and so far into the ruins of the shopping center that I can barely hear the officer's screams. He doesn't understand. She's in here, and I have to save her. That's what a hero would do.

"You can't become a hero. There's no chance, not without a quirk.".

I trip over my own feet for a moment as All Might's words flash through my mind. I recover quickly, trying desperately to forget his words. What he thinks doesn't matter. My eyes scan over every inch of the ruins, searching through bent steel bars cracked stone walls for any sign of human life. The battle between Tremor and the villain is still going strong, their quirks causing the earth to shake frequently. One of these vibrations causes a lone pillar to crash to the ground.

* * *

"AGHHH!"

That was Mom. I rush to where the column fell, hoping that it isn't that bad. But the second I see her, my heart seizes up and my whole body goes rigid. She's trapped, underneath a massive chunk of rubble and rebar. Only her head, upper chest and right arm are free. The rest of her body is pinned under what must be at least three tons of framework. The fallen pillar lies right in front of her, missing her head by only a few feet.

"MOM!" I scream launching myself through the debris. "I-i-izu-ku" she mutters weakly, lifting her hand towards me with a strained look on her face. "Just stay still! I'll save you, j-just hold on!". I try to sound brave, but panic must've leaked out because her face doesn't look relieved at all. "No,no,no honey. Run away, it's too dangerous…" she drags the words out of her mouth. I ignore her, and immediately grab the boulder of construction that's crushing her.

"GRRRRR! GRAHHHH!"

I lift with everything! All of my strength! Everything I can possibly muster! I can almost feel my muscles being torn to shreds. Tears fall down my face, but I grit my teeth and keep lifting,willing with all my heart!

i can't do anything

The goddamn hunk of rock doesn't even inch. I stop trying and turn to my mom. My mom. The woman who has always supported me, and helped me through the roughest times of my life. She looks back into my eyes, and the look she gives me is one of misery.

i can't do anything

"C-come here, Izuku" she motions to me with her free arm. I fall to my knees, letting all my weakness pour out of my eyes. "I'm s-sorry, Izuku. I wish things were better. I wish you could… y-you could…" she can't bring herself to finish. Instead, she wraps her arm around my neck, bring my head right next to hers. I bury my face in her shoulder. She can barely whisper. "I love you Izuku". Her breath gets slower. Even slower. It stops.

i can't do anything.

* * *

 **I intend to continue this story. If you have any ideas that you want to share, feel free to write a review or message me directly. I hope you enjoyed it.**

 **See ya.**


	2. Chapter 2- Nightmare or New Perspective?

**Author's note: I hope that you're all happy because this whole story is now my obsession. I have gotten plenty of positive feedback, so I will be continuing** _ **Villain Deku**_ **as long as people are reading it. And probably well beyond that, because this is SO much fun. Since I've received so much support, I'm gonna pump in double the effort for this chapter and all subsequent chapters. I hope that it shows.**

Chapter 2

Nightmare or New Perspective?

* * *

I feel cold concrete on my face. My cheek is plastered to the floor with sweat and it stings to pry it off. I stagger to my knees, attempting to bring feeling back to my legs. Was I taking a nap? Who takes a nap on the floor? I attempt to analyze the room but my eyes just won't focus. Everything's so blurry. The color of the roof and walls match the grey floor, so I must be in some massive, empty storehouse. There's no windows, just fluorescent lights. Why am I here?

"Izuku? Darling, is that you?"

That voice. Mom?

The blurriness in my vision disappears as I sharply turn towards her voice. She's there. She's leaning against a wall on the other side of the room, at least 50 feet away. The expression on her face is a mixture of joy and weariness. She must be hurt because she doesn't move, even though she sees me.

"Mom!, I yell back, burning off all the fatigue I was feeling. I fight the weakness in my legs, forcing myself towards her with all of my willpower. She's safe. I don't remember why but I was so worried about her. I thought that she was in serious danger , but she's completely fine. I laugh at my baseless anxiety and allow my eyes to wander the room for a moment. Directly to the left of my mother, I see a tall figure in dark brown suit. As my eyes focus more on him, I see that the suit seems to be made of some sort of brown cloth, covered with plates of jagged stone. From this distance, he strongly resembles a stone golem, as if his very skin is a mineral. Except for his head, which appears to be made of flesh and not rock. He has a human face, so all of the rubble that he's wearing must be a costume. In a flash, I recognize him. It's the Pro Hero, Tremor.

* * *

The fact that he's here confuses me. I try to push that from my mind, but I begin to feel my skin tighten. This is wrong. He's supposed to be a hero, right? So, why is he making me so nervous? My legs start moving faster, purging all of the weakness I was experiencing. "Izuku!" my mom bawls as she keeps beckoning me towards her. But I can't take my eyes off of Tremor. He's been keeping his gaze glued to the floor, as if he was uninterested in either of us. However, now his sight turns towards me. I expect a reassuring look, or maybe a wide smile, like All Might.

Instead, he looks genuinely bored. His face rests in a totally platonic expression. But only for a moment. Then his eyes open wide and his straight face contorts into a grin. Not a happy grin, or even an awkward grin. A grin that's overflowing with malice. I stagger as I feel a wave of hate radiate from his smile. He raises his left hand and balls it into a fist.

* * *

In a clean motion, he drives his fist into the wall behind my mom. The shock seeps into every nerve as the joints in my legs lock in place. It takes a moment for Mom to realize what happened. Just like the jagged fissure creeping up the wall, Mom's worried smile gradually shifts to a distressed grimace. The cracks in the wall climb all the way to the roof. For a brief moment, nothing happens.

But all at once, the wall collapses. Hunks of concrete fall to the ground, fracturing the floor beneath me. As if in slow motion, slabs of stone rain down, blocking Mom from my vision. Despite the catastrophe occuring right in front of me, I can't hear anything. What should be an audio calamity is totally silent. All I hear is

"AGHHH!"

Mom's screams. I rush through the broken foundation, but my body is bogged down by all my thoughts. Why is this happening? Why would Tremor try to hurt her? Is it… is it my fault? I drive those thoughts from my brain. It doesn't matter. There isn't a spot of brown among the grey rubble. As if Tremor just faded into the background. I can only hope that he doesn't come back. My feet carry me over to where the rubble has trapped Mom, crushing her lower half.

* * *

As I struggle to raise the slab of stone that's resting on top of her, I experience a sense of perverse nostalgia. A part of me remembers this feeling, this cocktail of despair and inadequacy.

No matter how I strain my body, the lump of rock remains stagnant. I exert more and more pressure, desperation sinking into my skin. Sweat cascades down my face, but despite that, my body shivers with an indescribable cold. I can still only hear my mom's pained grunts. But a new sound is getting closer. The noise of feet gradual striding over the ground. Fear creeps into my mind. What if it's Tremor? A part of me wants to run, but I can't abandon my mom. The sound stops. I turn to the source of the footsteps. It's him.

All Might.

* * *

All the dread that was forming in my body instantly dissipates. The Number One Hero is here, so why would I need to be afraid? He bears his signature wide stance, and even wider smile. I look at him eagerly, waiting for him to step in and blow all this rubble away with ease. But he doesn't. He's just standing there. Anxiety starts to permeate my thoughts once again. Why does this keep happening? These are Heroes. Why am I so scared? That's not how it should work. "Please, please" I plead to him. "Please help me". His expression doesn't change.

He just turns… and leaves.

I'm left dumbfounded. I can't push my body anymore. No one will help me.

And I can't do anything.

* * *

I feel a jolt travel through my body. For a moment, my lungs tighten as I'm stunned by the juxtaposition between cold concrete and warm cotton sheets. Sheets? I pry my eyelids open and instead of rubble, I just see the white walls of my room. A sigh escapes from my mouth as I wipe sweat from my forehead. It was just a nightmare.

I swing my legs off the bed, grab my phone, and check the time. 8:15 am. School starts at 8:30. But I don't think I'll go today either. For a moment, my mind wanders to the dream I had. I shake my head vigorously and roam over to the kitchen. I can't afford to stop and think about it. If I do, then there's no way I'll be able to muster up the effort to do anything. Today is Friday, which means I have to talk with Mr. Takahashi. The thought of who else might be there almost paralyzes me.

* * *

Breakfast is just the usual. I steam some rice and mix it with some of the grilled fish that Mrs. Bakugo brought me. She's the only person who's bothered to visit me. I chuckle a little, remembering her last visit. She was teaching me how to make a stir fry, when the reporters showed up again with more questions. I had already told them that I was never going to talk about it, but they remained persistent. After an extensive conversation between the cameraman and Mrs. Bakugo's fists, their resolve petered out. I really do appreciate how much she's been helping me, but the one thing that I really want is to be alone. I've had to deny several offers to talk with news outlets and psychiatrists alike. I don't think I could ever tell anyone about the dreams. If my own thoughts terrify me, then how would someone else react?

I glance at the clock on the wall. 8:32. I need to be at the office by 9:00. That means there's no time for my morning workout. It'll have to wait till I get back. I toss the dishes in my sink and rush to my room. After a few minutes of considering an outfit, I change into jeans, a plain shirt, and green sweatshirt. A few splashes of water on my face, and a gargle of mouthwash has me looking and smelling somewhat presentable. As I race through the door, I check my phone. 8:39. It'll be close but I think I can make it.

* * *

The foot traffic was rough but the clock hits 8:58 just as the elevator arrives at the third floor. Mr. Takahashi is sitting in one of the chairs in the waiting lounge. He looks just as nervous as the day that I met him.

"Midoriya!" he exclaims, with the air of someone who was extremely uncomfortable. "Hello sir," I respond, trying to stay as polite as possible. He directs me to an ornate door in the center of the back wall."If you'll follow me into my office, we can get through this quickly,". I simply nod and follow him, navigating the field of cubicles. I attract a few nervous glances as I walk through the door.

Oh geez. The sight that greets me as I enter the office is an enormous glass case, filled with… rocks. The whole thing is filled with radiant gems and minerals. "Oh, uh. Sorry about that. I'm a bit of a rock maniac," he explains, noticing my quiet state of shock. I just respond with an affirmative grunt. That makes a lot of sense, considering the hero that Mr. Takahashi's agency works with.

Anyone who would put in all the work required to publicly represent Tremor would need to be a bit of a fanatic.

* * *

He guides me to one of the plush chairs in front of his desk as he eases into his own. After a moment of searching in his drawers, he slides a relatively thick stack of papers towards me. Mr. Takahashi clears his throat and begins to speak.

"Although the law demands you read through the entire contract, I can assure that nothing in the agreement has changed. What happened was a tragedy and I would never attempt to back away from giving you the aid that you are owed. I can only hope that you understand this is not some sort of bribe in order to brush the accident under the rug. We will be taking significant actions to ensure that this never happens again,". His words are firm and cordial. I really do believe everything that he says. But I still skim through the papers, just to check. Beyond all the law gibberish, all of the the terms match the offer that Mr. Takahashi described last week.

In plain text, "As compensation for the damage caused by our Pro client, Tremor, we will be covering the living costs of Izuku Midoriya for the next seven years". It stings me a little, to see my Mom summed up as "damage". Still, I force my way through the rest of the document and it all checks out. I sign where I need to and hand the papers back. Mr. Takahashi looks uncomfortable as he takes them. "I know that I've said it a million times, but I am truly sorry. That must sound so insincere," he sighs. " Especially since Tremor couldn't make it,".

"That's fine!" I answer with a little too much enthusiasm. He must have noticed because he looks alarmed. "I j-just mean that-um-I understand how b-busy the life of a hero is, so it's ok, really!". I push the words out violently, hoping that I can cover up my mistake. I guess that I was convincing enough, because the worry on his face dissipates. "If that's all sir, then I'd like to get back home" I say, keeping any anxiousness from spilling into my words. "Oh, of course. You're free to leave," he responds. I give him a respectful bow as I turn towards the door. Just as my hand reaches the handle, he starts speaking again. "I appreciate how understanding you've been, Midoriya. Things like this happen" he says, offhandedly. I involuntarily grip the handle a little harder.

I whisper under my breath."I'll bet they do, sir".

* * *

I let loose a deep sigh the second I leave the building. The meeting went better than expected but the whole thing was still an ordeal. I don't know what I would've done if Tremor was there. I scheduled the appointment for the morning, when he's always out on patrol. Still, he might've shown up. The thought of him being right there tightens my chest so much that I have to lean on a nearby building just to catch my breath. An endless crowd of people bump into me as I let the knot in my throat unravel. The foot traffic is much worse now. I won't be able to force my way home through the surge of bodies. Instead, I resolve to take a path through some of the back alleys. While they are more dangerous than the main path, the alleys have never actually been that scary for me. A bit dirtier than the sidewalk, but definitely not dangerous. The occasional tough guy looking for cash, but . Keeping that in mind, I weave through the crowd until I burst into the empty corridor between a burger place and laundromat. I take another deep breath and move forward, quietly hoping that I don't get lost.

* * *

Eventually, I recognize the back sign of a ramen shop that's only a block away from my apartment. I breathe a sigh of relief. After fifteen minutes of walking, I was starting to think that I had wandered downtown. I let my body loosen up a bit as I start to exit the alley.

"JUST CALM DOWN, MAN! DON'T HURT ME!"

I hear the scream echo through the cramped walls. That sounded like someone in trouble. I start to move in the direction of the yelp, but my body freezes up. I should be rushing to help that man, but something stops me in my tracks.

"You can't be a hero without a Quirk".

All Might's words ring through my brain. He's right. I couldn't save her. Why should this time be any different. But… but I won't be able to live with myself if I don't try! I don't care what All Might says! I will save someone or die trying!

* * *

I let those thoughts linger in my mind as I dash towards the source of the howl. The alleys are like a maze, and I'm on the verge of losing hope until…

"AGHH! WE CAN MAKE A DEAL!"

That one was much closer. Now I can hear the sound of a fight. A very one-sided fight. I follow the noise until I spot what must be the victim in the junction between two alleys. He's a middle aged man with disheveled gray hair and just a little bit of facial hair. He's in pretty bad shape with a gash on his face and what looks like a black eye. His outfit consists of a white button-up shirt with a purple blazer, both of which are coming apart at the seams. I watch him stagger over to a nearby wall, glancing back nervously. His assailant is still hidden behind the corner from which the man emerged. "What do you want?" the man pants. "I've got money," but he's cut off by a gruff voice. "The only thing that I want is to see you beaten to a bloody pulp!". That's it. I can't let this guy be hurt right in front of me.

"STAY AWAY FROM HIM!" I yell as I sprint towards the injured man. With all the confidence I can muster, I take a protective stance between the man and his attacker. I expect some kind of thuggish looking guy. But instead… it's Tremor.

For a moment, he looks surprised. But then his expression changes. Into a smile. A smile that makes me wonder if I'm dreaming again. "Looks like one of your Villain pals came to help you," he exclaims in a gravelly voice. Wait, Villain? Before I can react, he clenches his fist and raises it. "B-but I'm not a…" I weakly stammer. He interupts.

"NO EXCUSES KID!" as he aims his fist straight at the ground. My legs falter as my mind goes back to the night.

I can feel the tremors beneath my feet. I hear the massive brawl raging behind me. But all I can focus on is how cold Mom's hands are.

All of the frustration and grief builds in my chest until it explodes. "RAGHH!" I roar violently. Tremor is caught off guard. In that moment, I charge forward and place my foot straight between his eyes. Tremor recovers quickly and stares at me with burning resentment.

I can't afford to care about how much trouble I'll be in after this. He may be a Pro Hero, but if I don't fight, then me and the man behind me will die. I switch to a defensive stance and fight back my fear the only way I know how.

With a smile.

* * *

 **This has been the second chapter of** _ **Villain Deku**_ **. If you enjoyed it, make sure to let me know because I really enjoy reading reviews for this story. In case I didn't make it clear enough, Tremor's victim was Giran, the villain who recruited Dabi and Toga. Also, I know that I'm focusing a lot on Tremor, but I swear that I have a plan for him. He will not be a long term character, but he's really good for the stuff that I'm doing right now. The story will eventually focus on All Might instead (sooner than you think) so there's no need to worry.**

 **Additionally, I have a few announcements.**

 **I am going to be keeping myself to a strict schedule on these chapters. One every week, on Thursdays/Fridays. Depends when I finish.**

 **Despite the first announcement, I actually won't be writing a new chapter for at least a few weeks because I'm having surgery soon. It's a pretty big operation so I want to wait until I'm in stable condition to start the next part of the story.**

 **Despite the second announcement, I really don't want to put the entire thing on hold for that long, so I've thought up a compromise. From here on, I will respond to any and all private messages and reviews, so if you have any suggestions or feedback, just send it to me and I will respond.**

 **That's everything from me. I hope that you guys are having as much fun as I am with this story.**

 **See ya.**


	3. Chapter 3- Do We Really Look Up to Them?

**Author's note: I have returned!**

 **Sorry that this update has taken so long, but I'm pleased to announce that I have fully recovered from my surgery. I had a lot of time to think about how I'm gonna handle the story, so you can rest assured that I have thought very far ahead. This chapter was a little different than what I usually write, but it made for some fun experimentation.**

 **I hope you enjoy it.**

Chapter 3

Do We Really Look Up to Them?

* * *

The Pro Hero Tremor is mostly known for his explosive temper. The destructive power of his quirk, Earthshaker, is only matched by the strength of his temper. His no mercy stance in regards to criminals has earned him a reputation of being one of the harshest Pros in the business. He's recognized just as much for his history of major collateral damages, as he is for the number of villains that he's put in a critical state.

This history of violence shows off quite a few off his weaknesses. His propensity towards rage means that it would be very easy to lead him into a trap. Additionally, he relies heavily on raw power so with enough skill and caution, an opponent could rob him of the chance to use his quirk.

Despite the sharp glare that Tremor is giving me, my mind is still calm enough to run through these options. I'm snapped out of my semi-trance by a small groan behind me. That's right. The gray haired man is still here. I can't let Tremor hurt him, but his presence is a huge issue. One of my better plans involved Tremor using Earthshaker, which would have alerted authorities and they might have been able to diffuse the situation. But since this guy is in such bad shape, there's no way that I can afford to let Tremor use his quirk. If I take quirks out of the equation, then I've got a chance. I think that I've got the edge in close combat. I do have a black belt and Tremor graduated from a run of the mill school, one that doesn't teach self defense. So the objective is to get close. My eyes sweep the surroundings. The alley is only about twelve feet wide, and it's pretty empty except for some boxes and a few trash cans behind me. Wait… trash cans? I immediately start formulating a new plan. If I can use the environment, I might be able to minimize the danger of his quirk. But as I work out the details, I can feel doubt start to inch into the corners of my brain. I shake my head vigorously and keep up my smile. No time for that. Now's the time to be brave!

I turn around and start running.

"Wha… g-get back here!" Tremor screams at my back. During this split second of confusion, I reach for one of the trash cans. As my fingers curl around the handle, I turn quickly and hurl it at him. He seems too shocked to react, just standing there as the bucket soars towards his face. A loud clang followed by an even louder "AGHH!" tells me that I hit my mark. The collison knocks all the trash loose, littering the air with wrappers and food scraps. It provide a perfect distraction, giving me enough time to sprint towards Tremor until I'm within four feet of him. Being this close, I get a good look at his costume. The slabs of rock that adorn the outfit double as both armor and a cool visual motif. In order to maintain flexibility the plates only cover vital areas, leaving the joints to move freely. But this means that there are numerous areas that lack protection. The one that really catches my eye is an unarmored spot near his diaphragm. The designers of the suit probably thought that no one would be dumb enough to get into close quarters with someone that can create earthquakes. "Especially not someone who's quirkless," I whisper to myself, grinning a little wider.

I let my legs carry me a little farther until I'm within arm's reach of Tremor. He looks startled that I managed to close the distance so quickly. Using this moment of confusion, I aim a punch at the weak spot that I noticed. He lets out a wheeze as my fist digs into his diaphragm. The combination of Tremor's pained gasp and the sound of a crack in his chest instantly makes my stomach turn. I try to push the thought from my mind, but the feeling of my knuckle sinking into his chest starts to make me nauseous. While I'm distracted, he slams his palm into the back of my head. The force of the blow makes me dizzy and Tremor takes advantage of it, pushing his knee into my face. I'm knocked back and I feel a bit of my blood drip from my nose. He starts to swing at me again but suddenly stops to clench at his chest. I back up as quickly as I can, trying not to lose focus. I…think I broke a rib. I try to push the thought from my mind, but the feeling of my knuckle sinking into his chest starts to make me nauseous. The only thing that repulses me more is the vague feeling of satisfaction rising in me.

I'm broken from my trance by a shadow crossing my face. I turn to see Tremor raising his fist, a furious look in his eyes. As his hand drops to the ground, my natural intuition takes over and I dash back towards him. I'm too far away to hit him, but I can't let his fist touch the ground. I instinctively swing my right leg, trying to stop his fist from connecting. My foot makes contact just as his knuckles are inches from the ground, sweeping his arm. The collision forces him to take a hard right to avoid falling, leaving his side wide open. Before Tremor can recover, I drill my foot into another unarmored area, this one being right on top of his left lung.

He lets out a gasp from the pain but quickly recovers and swipes at my ankle. He succeeds in disrupting my balance. I fall backwards, my head crashing down to the pavement. I'm too winded to retaliate and Tremor takes advantage of that. He gets back to his feet effortlessly and begins to strike me while I'm down. "You… rotten… little… shit," he says breathlessly, his words interspersed by kicks to my ribs. Every blow forces me to exhale, leaving me no chance to fight back. He stops striking me for a moment to catch his breath. I play dead, trying to give myself some time to reevaluate the situation. "And now… you," Tremor utters breathlessly, turning to face the gray haired man. Before he can take one step towards him, I stand back up and reach for his arm. Tremor turns around quickly but is too startled by the fact that I'm still fighting to respond. His slow reactions give me enough time to fully grasp his right elbow. I spin on my right foot and smash my back into his chest. I lower my body and start to throw Tremor over my right shoulder. The weight of him on back ignites a pain in my ribs. I grit my teeth and keep up my momentum, slamming him to the ground. My attack worked and Tremor is sprawled on the ground, gasping for air as I move back a few feet.

As he struggles to stand, I take a moment to wipe my brow. The stress of the situation is making me sweat just as much as the fight itself. I can taste iron as blood trickles down from my nose to my mouth. I look back to see that the grey haired guy is on his phone,talking frantically to someone. He must be calling the police. Knowing that, some of the tension in my body starts to dissipate. I'm sure that I wouldn't last much longer since I'm already barely standing. Still, I'm doing much better that I thought I would. If I can handle something like this, then maybe… maybe I can still be a hero.

* * *

While I'm ruminating on the possibility, I hear small rustling sound overhead. I look up to see a silhouette in the shape of a man falling from the sky. I can't even react before the man crashes straight into the alley. The force of his landing fractures the ground and knocks me off my feet. My head smacks into the concrete, leaving me dazed on the floor. I can vaguely hear a conversation between the man and Tremor. Tremor starts.

"S-sorry, this kids been kicking my ass and I can't even tell what his quirk is".

"There's no shame in needing a bit of help every now and then. It's a good thing that I just happened to be flying overhead and saw you," the man responds. His voice is loud, eccentric, and vaguely familiar. "I can take the rest from here" the man continues.

I start to force myself back to my feet. If I can explain the situation to this guy, then maybe I'll be able to stop this from getting any worse. Just as I'm barely off my knees, the booming voice continues.

"Still on your feet, eh villain?". Villain? This guy must think that I attacked Tremor first! I try to deny it but I'm too disoriented to force the words out of my mouth. I'm barely standing when the man addresses me again. "Did you think you could ambush a hero and get away with it?! As if I would allow something like that to happen on my watch!". I turn my head to respond, but I'm shocked by who it is. His blue and red suit is as recognizable as his tall blond hair and sharp blue eyes.

All Might

The realization that the Number One Hero is staring me down sends chills down my spine. The look that he's giving me is one that freezes my body. It's a glare that I've never seen before. It's different than the sharp stare he gives during interviews or the impassive look that he gave me when he said I could never be a hero. It doesn't even resemble the look that he gives me in my nightmares. It's a gaze that is a mix of disdain and a lack of mercy. A look that says that it's time to get a job done. This must be the look that he only gives to villains. And now he's giving it to me.

My breathing becomes stilted as panic courses through my veins. The fear helps me shoot the words out my mouth.

"Wait, please! I-I'm not a bad guy!" I scream, hoping that I sound convincing. But All Might is unphased. He starts to pull back his fist, still staring me down. I recognize exactly what he's going to do. He's preparing a Detroit Smash. Terror seizes my mind again. I can feel every inch of my skin tighten, my brain urging me to run away. But I can't move my body. Everything seems to slow down as I see All Might opens his mouth. I can vaguely see his lips form the word "detroit" but I can't hear anything, all sound being replaced by a faint ringing. My mind feels like it's running at a million miles a second, as if it's trying to break out of my skull.

Does he recognize me? Probably not. Our meeting might've been life changing for me, but it makes sense that he wouldn't think it was that important. What's gonna happen to me? All Might didn't see the fight so he must think that I'm tougher than I look. That's why he's not bothering to hesitate. Another question strikes, jolting some feeling back into my body. What about the gray haired guy? I swing around to see that he isn't there anymore. He must have come to his senses and run away. A bit of relief replaces the panic in my mind.

At least I managed to save someone.

All Might starts to lean forward, readying himself to deliver the final blow. Just as his mouth begins to move again, a dark mass starts to form in my peripheral vision. It starts small but quickly expands until it's the size of a door. I stare at it, still seeing All Might move in slow motion. As he thrusts his fist through the air, a small distortion appears in the shadow. A clammy hand reaches through the darkness and grabs me by the collar. As it drags me in, I feel a powerful gust of wind run across my left side, followed by intense agony. The impact rattles my brain and I can feel my consciousness slip away.

* * *

 **My breathing is ragged. My vision is blurry. There's an unbearable pain coming from the left side of my chest. Any effort to move my body is completely wasted. I can feel fatigue swallowing my brain. Just before I can pass out, I hear a group of people conversing near me. They seem to be in a heated debate but I can barely bring myself to pay attention. I force my eyes open and see a man with light blue hair begin to speak.**

"You're lucky that we bothered to rescue you at all, Giran, and now you demand that we help some shrimp?!". His voice is hoarse and raspy. sounding more like an exaggerated whisper than anything else.

"Lucky? It's only because you asked me to find so many damn criminals for your big U.S.J. plan that Tremor found me at all! The least you can do is help me out a little, Shigaraki". That voice… it's the grey haired guy from the alley. His name must be Giran so the man with the raspy voice is Shigaraki. If he's here then that means he must have called this guy to help me. I start to sit up in order to talk to him but the burn in my side stops me.

Giran continues. "Besides, you're paying me to find villains for the operation and I got a genuine crook for ya right here". He must think that I'm a bad guy as well.

Before I can make any futile attempts to deny it, Shigaraki starts chuckling. "A villain? This kid? You've shown up with some third-rate posers before, but this is a new level of bad quality!". "I'm telling ya,"

Giran responds " This kid is a beast. He was giving Tremor a helluva fight".

"Really?" a third voice interjects. This one is deep and calm. He sounds like a stern father. "He could be worthwhile, Shigaraki.".

"Shut up Kurogiri! Don't tell me that you're buying his crap!". Shigaraki lets out a sigh before continuing. "I don't care. I said to drop him so drop him".

"But Shigaraki, he," the man named Kurogiri starts to object before another voice cuts in.

"All of you, get out of the way. I want to see this boy for myself".

The man speaks slowly and somewhat softly but there's no mistaking the authority that he wields. The voice is intercut by static and I can't see his body. He must be using video chat to view the conversation. At his command, all three of the men cease their arguing and move out of the way. I follow their eyes to a TV on the wall, the screen completely grey. The man exclaims a little and chuckles to himself. "So you must be…well, how interesting," he says, mostly to himself. "Kurogiri, bring this boy to my location immediately."

"Seriously, Master? This child?" Shigaraki starts to disagree but the voice cuts him off quickly.

"There is much potential in this young man. I believe that you'll find that he's quite a bit more complex than you think." The voice continues to chuckle as the same darkness from before starts to envelop me. My eyelids begin to droop again and I notice that the wound on my side stopped hurting. rather, it just feels numb. As my mind begins to fade, the last thing I see is an ominous figure sitting in a wheelchair.

* * *

I open my eyes lazily. Last night was the first time in a while that I didn't have any nightmares. I start to stretch my arms when I'm hit by a dull ache in my side. The pain doesn't startle me because it actually hurts, but more so because I remember what happened. The memory of the fight in the alley hurt much more. Anxiety begins to creep into my skin as I worry over what's going to happen to me. I try to focus on my surroundings in order to distract myself. I let out an audible gasp as I realize that I'm not in a hospital. Instead, I'm lying on cold table in a dark room that seems like a warehouse. Any light that there is comes from a few monitors in the corner, the largest showing a video of some kind of bar. What's more unsettling is the fact that this place is definitely not a medical facility but there's all kinds of equipment lying around. Rusty IV stands and dismantled wheelchair parts litter the floor. The whole place seems like a set for some horror movie. I'm thinking of mad doctors and horrible experiments when a light cough catches my attention.

"Ah good, you're awake. Please restrain yourself from moving as I'd prefer to check your condition first". It's the same voice as the nameless man in the bar. I turn respond but what I see stops me dead in my tracks. The man's face is horribly disfigured. Everything above his mouth looks like melted wax. He navigates the room flawlessly despite his apparent lack of eyes. He must have some way to see because he seems to catch my look of shock.

"Yes, my appearance is quite threatening, especially to someone who must be having quite the dreadful day. However, you must trust me when I promise that I intend only to help you, Izuku Midoriya." "H-how do you know my name?" I respond, trying and failing to sound calm. "Relax young man, I have not been spying on you or anything of that sort. I merely recognized you from the news". It takes me a moment to realize that he's referring to the reports done on the accident at the supermarket. I do my best to ignore the grief that's creeping into my heart. This isn't the time to fall apart. Once again, the man seems to notice my change in mood. "It must be rather terrible to be famous for such an awful experience". I don't respond, mostly because I don't think that there's any reason to. Somehow, this man seems to have an innate understanding of me.

"Please raise your left arm". I follow his instructions, working through the pain as I do so. He lifts my shirt, revealing my bare skin. Right where the pain is most intense, there's a patch of skin that's slightly darker than the rest. "It appears as though your injury has sufficiently healed. I do apologize for the discoloration. It is one of the few weaknesses of the quirk that I used". I make note of the fact that he referred to it as "the quirk" and not "my quirk". However, I'm more concerned with the scar that I now have. Running my fingers along it, the pain is minimal and the skin doesn't feel irregular. "It was not a serious injury but I was not partial to the idea of a leaving a guest in such a state". "A guest?" I reply hesitantly. "Of course, Izuku Midoriya. I apologize if I have not been very hospitable so far. Allow me to introduce myself. You may call me All for One". "A-all right, All for One. Where are we?" I say, struggling to get past the peculiarity of his name. "You are currently in my rather makeshift home. It is the best that I can do, considering my unfortunate circumstances. You see, I am a Villain". His words shouldn't come as a surprise but the indifference with which he speaks is unnerving. "Then what do you want with me?". "It should be rather obvious. I would like to join my League of Villains".

* * *

 ** **Once again, sorry for the abysmal gap between updates. Trying to teach myself how to write a fight scene while on pain meds was a nightmare. The update schedule should be back to once a week now, but there's always the possibility that I'll get bent over by school again. I hope that you guys have been enjoying**** ** _ **Villain Deku**_** ** **so far and that you can get behind how I'm handling the story so far.****

 **If you have suggestions, complaints, compliments or anything between, feel free to write a review or PM me.**

 **See ya**


	4. Chapter 4- The Man Makes a Good Point

**Author's note: Now that I'm back in full swing, these new chapters should be back to once a week. I'm gonna have to shift the upload date to late Saturdays because that just works a little better for me. That schedule is subject to change but I'll try to stick it to it. Plus, I'm gonna change all the chapter names to something a little more interesting. These basic titles have been pretty boring. I want to make them a little snazzier, kinda like DBZ, Soul Eater, or Gurren Lagann.**

 **Besides that, I've got nothing else to say other than I hope you enjoy Chapter 4.**

Chapter 4

The Man Makes a Good Point

* * *

 **"** **I would like you to join my League of Villains".**

All for One said these words without a hint of sarcasm or deceit. Despite his scarred appearance and terrifying demeanor, this candor is his most unnerving trait so far.

"League... of Villains?" I whisper back, all of my prior anxiety having been wiped away by this bold offer. "There's no such thing as a League of Villains. Sure, there's been villain alliances before, but they've all been pretty small term.".

"You have never heard of this League because it doesn't exist. Not yet. All that we have done so far is recruit members. The plan is to bolster our numbers and establish a strong organization before putting a certain plan into effect.".

"What kind of numbers? And what's your plan?" I ask without thinking. I regret the words as soon as they come out of my mouth. My natural curiosity could easily be interpreted as some attempt to dig for information. I can't forget that I'm technically being held captive, despite how polite my captor is acting.

All for One chuckles at my panicked expression, as if he can read my mind and is laughing at my fear. "I am afraid that I have no reason to give you any more information. Not unless you do decide to join.". I open my mouth to retort but he silences me with a lazy wave of his hand. "Now, now, Midoriya. I thought you were more open minded than this. You have not given me a chance to explain myself. I believe that you will reconsider your reply when you understand the League's motives a little bit more.".

I can't really argue with that. All for One and his companions did come to my rescue in the fight against All Might. I could've been seriously hurt if they didn't save me when they did. Still, I can't let my guard down. All for One is acting polite but the aura that he gives off is that of a monster.

"Let me preface this entire discussion by making it clear that this is an offer. If your answer is no then you go back to your home, safe and unbothered. There is no gun pointed at your head. Think of this as an interview, not an interrogation.". All for One speaks eloquently, with subtle yet powerful hand gestures. Even though the situation should be ripe with tension, I feel my nerves loosen at his words. Noticing this, I tighten my gut and shake my head lightly. He might be an excellent liar so I can't trust him just because I want to.

* * *

It is an incredibly easy trick. Open up the discussion and make it clear that there is no threat. Even if they do not believe you, they are bound to relax just a little. In such a stressful situation, people are bound to look for ways that they can relax. When you tell them that everything is not so bad, that you can trusted, they take the bait. Like a climber grasping at a strong rope, unaware that you can drop him at any second.

Midoriya is a sharp boy but even he is not immune to it. As I speak, his shoulder slowly begin to lower and his tighty clenched fists loosen a little. Yet, he still retains some alertness. His eyes stay sharp, not sinking into a desperate, pathetic hue.

He will be a good one.

* * *

"As I previously stated, I want you to join the League of Villains. I believe that it is an organization that will fit you rather nicely," All for One says sincerely.

"Why?" I blurt out the question that's been swimming at the top of my thoughts. "What do you see in me?".

"Do not underestimate yourself, Midoriya. There aren't many villains, let alone heroes, who could've done what you did in that alley. Just fourteen years old and you are capable of trading blows with a pro!". All for One briefly slips into a fanatical speech pattern. It kinda reminds me of myself when I talk about quirks. Once again, he seems to read my thoughts. "I do not mean to pry, but what is your quirk? Giran did not exactly describe the battle in detail. It must be quite powerful.". He looks at me expectantly.

I reflexively smile at the question. It's a bit of a comfort to discover that All for One doesn't know that I'm quirkless. That means that he's not omniscient and he hasn't been spying on me. Additionally, the fact that he believes that only someone with a strong quirk could have done what I did is a bit of a confidence booster.

"Actually, I'm q-quirkless," I say timidly. Despite all that, saying it out loud is a little painful. It feels like I'm admitting my own limitations.

"Is… that so?" he replies slowly. Try as he might, All for One fails to hide his shock at this statement. He falls into a dumbfounded silence. I feel a small sense of satisfaction, knowing that I can break his calm demeanor. He's probably reconsidering his offer, since a quirkless kid would be worthless to him. Relief fills my body as I realize that this means that the conversation is basically over. Once he's decided that I'm of no use, I can just go back home. Despite this good news, I notice a sinking sensation in my stomach. Although the request was coming from a villain, I genuinely felt wanted by someone.

It was… nice.

* * *

I am… truly astonished. From Giran's scattered description of Midoriya's battle, I figured that he must have a quirk. I thought that it might be a subtle one, a quirk that boosted his reaction speed of brain power or something of a similar nature. But this… over my extended life, I have only ever known quirkless people to be weak. Not just their bodies, but their spirits as well. I despise the kind of person that is content to whine about their lot in life, unwilling to do anything to change it.

That is what is so impressing about Midoriya. Anybody who can do what he has done is quite admirable. I chuckle a little, thinking about the thugs that I have recruited for the League. They are all just fodder to me, but they carry themselves with such arrogance. The swagger with which they walk is undeserved. They all possess formidable quirks but not one of them is half the man that Midoriya is. I burst with laughter at this thought.

* * *

Oh, that's… unexpected. All for One had been chuckling for a while, but now he's broken into… laughter. His laugh is deep, echoing off the walls of the room. The sound almost feels like water, filling up the room. Eventually, his mirth fades and he attempts to collect himself. He starts talking breathlessly. "Well, hah, young man, hah, that shouldn't be an issue.". He clears his throat and returns to his normal, calm way of speaking. "I am named after my quirk. All for One allows me to take another person's quirk and, if need be, give someone a quirk.".

All brain function ceases. My mouth feels much drier all of a sudden.

"Give… a quirk?" I repeat slowly without a trace of emotion. It's not as if I'm trying to hide my feelings. I'm just genuinely shocked. "There's… never been a quirk like that.".

"You would be surprised," All for One replies, "you already know about someone who possess a similar quirk.". He takes a moment to savor the tension, or the look of confusion on my face, before he continues.

"All Might can also pass down a quirk.".

My fingers instantly tighten as a tight knot forms in my stomach. I can barely keep my voice steady as I ask "Is that true?".

"Yes, it is called One for All. It is a power that has been cultivated by many users over a long period of time. Traditionally, it is given to aspiring heroes who require an extra boost to reach their goals. Of course, it is up to the user to decide who is worthy of inheriting the power.". My mind hangs on that word.

Worthy.

My body begins to shake. Does that mean that All Might didn't see me as deserving? I poured all of dreams for him and he didn't even consider me as a successor. Hot tears stream down my face as I lose myself in my own emotions. I've completely forgotten that All for One is even there until he lightly coughs.

"Do you have some sort of… history with All Might? I should not pry but you seem to be stunned this revelation." I briefly consider not sharing with him, but I need some kind of outlet. I begin to spill everything to All for One. He just sits through my entire account, listening intently. I get so caught up that I describe my fight against Tremor as well. I'm so immersed in my own retelling that I don't notice that I've stopped crying until I'm finished.

* * *

This boy continues to surprise at every turn. To think that All Might would have denied Midoriya, even after hearing such a heartfelt confession. Throughout his whole story, Midoriya is giving off an intense aura. One would expect him to be feeling rage or spite. However, he emanates a sense of confusion and doubt. I am sure that he is wondering if All Might is correct, if he is unworthy. I must cut down these thoughts before they weaken his resolve.

"It appears that All Might is even more of an idiot than he appears to be. One would think he is at his stupidest on a morning talk show, not in such an emotional situation.". Midoriya is clearly taken aback by my words. He is a little slow to reply. "What do you mean?".

"It should be obvious. He was too short sighted to see the raw potential inside of you.". My calm attitude slips as passion starts to seep into my voice. "There are not many people who are capable of holding their own against a Pro Hero. You are one of the few that can achieve that, solely because you are quirkless! Because you have lived a restrained life for so long, you are more capable than most to perform under pressure. If I were to give you a quirk, you could be a great villain.".

With that, we've circled back to the main topic of this conversation.

"Midoriya, I want you to join my League of Villains. You would be a great asset to the organization.".

He does not immediately reply, taking time to consider his response. This is an excellent sign. At the beginning, he would have said no instantly. But now, he feels the need to think about it. I take the chance to resume the offensive.

"Surely you do not see any merit in the society of heroes, not after what you have seen. You have bared witness to the darker aspects of heroism. Think about Tremor, a man that can cause massive collateral damage, hurt people, yet still be celebrated by the public. What about All Might, the number one Hero, who thinks it necessary to use full power against a child that made a mistake. Do you think what happened in that alley was an outlier? It is far more common than you think. Countless people are seriously injured by heroes, but the News outlets would prefer to glamorize the Pros instead of criticise them for their cruelty. By sweeping those messes under the rug, the illusion of peace is maintained. Do you believe that people should feel safe because of a lie? The League will endeavor to break this illusion, show the public reality. This can only be accomplished by demonstrating the flaws of the hero society".

I deliver each point precisely, making sure that every syllable hits its mark. Midoriya is dumbfounded, clearly hanging on my words.

"If you join the League of Villains, I will give you the strength necessary to live out your dream. You do not want to be just another Pro. You aspire to change the world, make things better! You will never achieve that if you fall into the rut of a hero course. But you will be able to, with the League.".

* * *

All for One's message hits me hard. It's easy to see the flaws in his description. Questions like "What's the plan after you tear down hero society?" and "What are your methods going to consist of?" swim towards the top of mind but are quickly drowned by the passion that I can feel. Try as I might to remain skeptical, I can't resist getting caught up in his ideals. All for One finishes his speech and looks to me expectantly. I look down to my hands, lightly resting on my thighs. I breathe in and out as I really consider what All for One is saying.

From what I've seen, from what's happened, it's clear that there is something wrong with the way that heroes act. This could be my only chance to really make a difference, shift society in a better direction. I could never do it as a hero since no agency would take on someone who's quirkless. Try as I might, I can't get that idea out of my head. If I join… I could finally obtain a quirk. I don't want to let my desire cloud my judgement but this is the only way that I could ever really get stronger.

Images of a more powerful version of me flash through my head. A me that won't be looked down on. A me that can inspire people, one way or another. A me that would be strong, strong enough… to save people.

I hop off the table that I've been resting on. My whole body tightens as I turn to All for One. I have to make a decision, right now. "I…" I start to speak, suddenly aware of how shaky my voice won't do, not now. I steel my nerves and try again.

"I want to join the League of Villains.". All for One grins a little and whispers a reply. "Excellent.".

* * *

 **That does it for Chapter 4. This was a little shorter but I didn't want to pad it out with unnecessary crap.**

 **I have to admit, this is really hard. I'm basically writing All for One from scratch since he has no real defined personality. Additionally, I have to make each character, especially Deku, act like they do in the manga while changing them in order to make a good fan story. I'm doing everything I can to not butcher the characters while making appropriate changes and I feel like I'm succeeding. But I could be totally failing.**

 **If you have any strong opinions on how I'm handling the characters and story in general, feel free to let me know. For that or just general stuff (especially the new chapter titles) please write a review or PM me. Thanks for reading so far.**

 **See ya.**


	5. Chapter 5- A Time for First Impressions

**Author's note: This chapter is gonna be a little different. Everything has been pretty heavy but this is my chance to lighten up a little bit. One thing that I've always liked about** _ **Villain Deku**_ **is the funny stuff that could happen with the league. This is gonna be my first attempt to work with that possibility. If it's great, then great. If it isn't… then I'm doomed.**

Chapter 5

A Time For First Impressions

* * *

The first thing that I notice is the quiet sound of my own breaths. The slow rhythm is easy to focus on and I can feel myself begin to drift back to sleep. I maintain consciousness just long enough to check the time on my phone. 9:24 am. As nice as it would be to just go back to sleep, I don't want to give the impression that I'm lazy. Not on my technical first day.

Despite how much it pains me, I roll the sheets off and begin to sit up. Compared to my years of waking up to an alarm just about everyday, this slow, gentle kind of morning feels very refreshing. I let loose a yawn as I begin to stretch my arms towards the end of my bed. I'm pleasantly surprised by my own surplus of energy. I feel like last night was the first decent rest that I've had in a long time. Definitely the first one without any weird dreams. While I'm stretching, my eyes wander around my new room. It's relatively sparse, just a mid-sized, grey room. There's a small desk, lamp, an alarm clock, and a few photos that I took from home. I smirk a little, thinking about how heavily this plain room contrasts with my old one. No All Might memorabilia here.

Kurogiri was kind enough to warp me to my apartment so that I could gather whatever I needed. It was actually pretty difficult, deciding what was necessary and what could stay. All my hero stuff was a definite no but everything else was a much tougher choice. It felt like such a waste to abandon our pressure cooker. And who knows when a mini zen garden will be useful? In the end, I tried to limit myself to the barest of essentials. I gathered all my clothes, my fitness equipment, and all of the money that was left in the house. Despite my efforts, I couldn't help but bring a few extraneous items. Alongside my essentials were a few nice candles, my hero notebooks, and some photos of me and Mom.

Just as the thought goes through my mind, I realize that I've been staring at those photos, all lined up neatly on a shelf on the wall. They all show pretty typical events, like our trip to Kyoto or my graduation from elementary school. Just looking at them makes me feel extremely melancholy. A sad smile comes to my face involuntarily as a sigh escapes my mouth. I ease myself out of bed, that somber feeling in my chest slowing my movements considerably. I take a deep breath as I walk towards the door. Even this dour mood has gotten better since I came here. Maybe because I'm finally doing more than just wallowing in my own gloom. The only way to really feel better… is to move on.

* * *

As I start to wash up, my downcast mood is slowly lifted. However, it's replaced with a growing sense of anxiety. This will be my first day as a member of the League of Villains. It's like the first day of high school, but worse. At least no one will bully me here. Right?

From how Kurogiri explained it, he and Shigaraki are the only other people who live here in the bar. All for One stays in his warehouse and the other members are supposed to just stay separated until they're needed. I can feel my breath quicken as I start to worry about what will happen. I'm an official member, but I don't know if they'll be ok with a teenager joining their group.

Still, this is just one of those hurdles that I've gotta overcome. I run through my morning prep, albeit a little clumsily, and toss on a pair of loose pants and my green hoodie. I recall the tour that Shigaraki gave me and begin to retrace my steps back to the main area downstairs. Try as I might, I can't stop my hands from fidgeting by the time I reach the bottom of the stairs. I'm so focused on my own hands that I don't notice that I've entered the bar until a deep voice calls out to me.

"Ah, good morning Midoriya," Kurogiri calls out from behind the bar. I respond while attempting hide my nervousness.

"Oh, h-hi, Mr. Kurogiri!" I say a little too quickly.

"I thought I told you yesterday, such formalities are unnecessary. Just Kurogiri is fine. Come, sit down.". I silently curse myself for my awkwardness before taking a spot on one of the bar stools. I can't help but notice his attire. He's dressed in a full suit, yet it's a different one from the one he wore yesterday. Does he only wear suits? How many does he have?

My thoughts are interrupted by Kurogiri's voice. "What will you have to drink?". I return his question with a quizzical look. "We have more than booze here," he replies, masterfully interpreting my expression.

"Oh, then m-milk, please," I respond, self-conscious of my childish taste in drinks. Kurogiri seems surprised by my answer or as surprised as you can look when your face is made of mist. Still, he pours me a glass and walks into a room behind him. I sip slowly, appreciating a break from the tense social situation. Kurogiri is very polite, although I'm not sure if that's because of his inherent nature or if All for One gave him some kind of order to be kind. As I contemplate the many possibilities, Kurogiri walks back into into the room with a platter in his hand. I observe him carefully as he lays it on the bar, revealing three bowls of miso soup.

"Breakfast," Kurogiri announces plainly.

"Oh, thank you for the food," I reply, all of my nerves being erased by this sudden act of kindness.

"It's no trouble at all Midoriya. I am available to prepare food at any time. Speaking of time, I would say it's about 10 o'clock now.". Kurogiri lets out a sigh before continuing. "This is one of my least favorite parts of the day.". He sounds genuinely dejected. I'm about to ask him what the problem, when he suddenly opens a warp gate right beside him. A part of me gets really excited looking at his quirk in action. Being able to open portals at such long distances is so neat!

"I will be gone for only a few moments," Kurogiri says, just as he slips through his portal. Silence fills the room as the black mass disappears. I take advantage of the moment and start eating my breakfast. Just as I start to feel comfortable with the lack of noise…

THUMP

The silence is interrupted by a dull thud coming from upstairs.

THUMP

Another thud and this one is followed by a muted voice. Despite how subdued it is, I can clearly hear how angry the voice is. Who could be here except… Shigaraki. The realization washes over me. But if he and Kurogiri are arguing, then why? Is it because of me? I'm so caught up in my own thoughts that I barely notice a warp gate appear behind the bar. I hastily start eating again, pretending that I didn't hear anything.

Kurogiri lets out a sigh as he walks through the portal. "Shigaraki will be joining us shortly. I... apologize for the noise," he says, a definite note of shame in his voice.

"Oh, um, d-did you guys argue? I didn't hear anything," I respond in my most casual voice. Kurogiri chuckles to himself before walking back into the room behind the bar.

* * *

I continue eating breakfast, anxiously waiting for Shigaraki's arrival. Yesterday, he gave off a strong aura of annoyance at my presence. The best that I can hope for today is just not to make him mad.

Just as Kurogiri walks back into the room, I hear uneven steps from the stairs. Shigaraki enters slowly, slouching a full two inches. His apparel consists of black pants, black shirt, black jacket, and a disembodied hand on his face. Part of me wonders if this hand is connected to his quirk. Can he make extra arms? Or does he just have an itchy face? He does seem to scratch himself a lot.

I suddenly become acutely aware of the fact that I'm staring and quickly return to my meal. Kurogiri places a bowl of miso soup at a spot to the left of me.

"Actually," Shigaraki says with his hoarse voice, "I've got something to show the two of you. A bit of a surprise.". The only thing more unnerving than this hypothetical surprise is his voice. It's so creepy. It feels like I'm talking to a snake, not a person. Shigaraki grabs the remote and presses the power button. I realize that there's a TV hanging from the corner of the room. He slowly navigates through multiple menus before he reaches recordings and plays a news broadcast. The news? What could be so surprising about. After further finagling with the video, Shigaraki eventually finds the moment he's looking for.

The news lady begins her segment with explosive energy.

"Breaking news! This morning, Pro Hero Tremor was attacked and seriously injured! Not only was it a brutal assault, but according to Tremor, the perpetrator was a young teenager.

Local police chief states 'It's such a shame that such young people are turning to villainy.'. When asked for a description of the boy, both Tremor and All Might were able to give accurate summaries. After careful deduction, the culprit has been identified as Izuku Midoriya.".

A photo from middle school flashes on screen. I look rather plain, just staring at the camera with a blank face. Despite how unsettling the experience should be, I feel numb to the shock of my face being labelled as that of a criminal.

"Some viewers will recognize Izuku Midoriya from the recent collateral disaster that Tremor was involved in. His mother died in the conflict and this is without a doubt, the cause of the boy's actions.

A local officer had this to say.'I don't really think that the kid has any ground to stand on. This was clearly just some kid trying to take out his anger on someone so he picked the closest guy to the action!'. Regardless, neither heroes were able to locate Midoriya after the skirmish. So please viewer, be on the lookout for him! There's no way of knowing what he'll do next!"

* * *

Shigaraki immediately turns off the TV. "That was aired last night. Thought that you might want to see it," he says coyly.

"That doesn't seem necessary Shigaraki," Kurogiri starts to rebuke, but I interrupt him.

"It's all fine. This is actually good news. If they don't know where I went, then they didn't see me get pulled through the warp gate. That means that nobody knows about your quirk, Kurogiri. I was worried that I blew the whistle on one of our most useful advantages,"I state plainly. Kurogiri's surprised expression is only matched by Shigaraki's.

"But, Midoriya this means," he starts to say before I cut him off again.

"It means that the public has identified me as a villain," I say with a sigh. I thought that I was ready for this but the realization is still a blow. Still, I can't look weak, not now.

"It really is fine. This changes nothing. I made my decision yesterday and I will stick by it. I want to change something, even if the world calls me evil. I won't ever go back on that.".

Kurogiri looks impressed by my vigor. His approving eyes contrasts with Shigaraki's unentertained glare. After staring me down for a few seconds, he shrugs nonchalantly and sits down. I guess that my moment is over. I let out a deep breath, trying not to let my energy show. It feels like that broadcast has filled me with grim determination.

I return to my soup, now much colder than before. I'm a little too nervous to ask to heat it up, so I just choke it down. Without asking, Kurogiri pulls out a large mug and fills it with some steaming liquid. He slides the the cup to Shigaraki who accepts it gladly. He tilts the hand on his face up a little in order to allow access to his mouth. He grabs the mug and begins to take a large swig before stopping abruptly.

To any outside viewer, everything would seem just fine. But in an instant, the temperature of the room fell a full twenty degrees. Unlike his eager hand movements before, Shigaraki now moves slowly. His voice is much heavier when he speaks again.

"Kurogiri… what is this?"

Kurogiri spends a few moments thinking before replying. "It's chai tea," he says plainly. Silence reigns again as the conversation halts.

"And why am I drinking this leaf water SHIT instead of coffee?," he says, his anger briefly breaking through in the middle of his sentence.

Kurogiri takes his time with his reply once again. "Both I and All for One believe that you should stay off of caffeine. We have a major operation coming up and you should be in top shape for it," he calmly states. Shigaraki doesn't immediately responding, choosing to focus his gaze on the bar instead.

Slowly, he raises the mug into the air above the bar with his right hand. He raises his left hand as well and places his thumb and pointer finger on the mug. Kurogiri must know something that I don't because he starts to panic.

"Shigaraki," he says waningly.

His middle finger touches the mug.

"Shigaraki." he says, this time more sternly. His index finger makes contact. Now only his pinky remains, inching ever closer. The tension is thick as Kurogiri takes a step forward and begins to speak with authority.

"Tomura Shigaraki!" he barks.

But it's too late.

Shigaraki's pinky touches the side of the mug. Instantly, the whole thing erodes into dust. The little particles start to disperse through the air. As for the liquid inside, it slipped right through Shigaraki's hands and onto the counter. Both Kurogiri and I are too stunned to react. Shigaraki takes advantage of our silence and wipes the dust and tea off his hand. He turns and begins to walk towards the door.

"And where are you going now?" Kurogiri asks dejectedly.

"I'm going to get a decent drink, one that isn't made from a goddamn plant!" Shigaraki replies angrily as he swings the door open.

"You know, coffee beans also come from a plant!" Kurogiri counters. Shigaraki responds by slamming the door.

Silence fills the room after Shigaraki's outburst. I feel like I should say something but nothing feels appropriate. Thankfully, Kurogiri is the one that breaks the silence first.

"I… apologize. I had hoped that your presence would make Shigaraki less prone to such outbursts. I would be lying if I said this was out of the ordinary.". I can't help but chuckle at his words. Shigaraki gives off such an ominous feeling. I would never have expected him to be so unreasonable. "That reminds me," Kurogiri continues. "If you are finished with breakfast, then All for One would like to speak with you again. Apparently, he would like to discuss the business of your new quirk.".

* * *

THUMP

I'm awoken by a dull thud coming through the wall. I immediately shoot up, preparing myself for the worst. Is it a Pro Hero? Did they find our hideout somehow? My fear runs rampant before the I hear the sound of someone's voice. The man's speech is scratchy and quiet, despite the fact that he's clearly yelling. A sudden thought crosses my mind as I reach for my phone to check the time. 10:02 am. I let out a sigh as I collapse back into bed. I should be more accustomed to Kurogiri's attempts to get Shigaraki out of bed before noon. Usually, I'm awake and out of the bar well before 10 o'clock but I guess that I slept in today.

That isn't really surprising. Yesterday was my "final exam" after all. After training my new quirk with All for One for about ten months, I was given a chance to show how much I improved. We had always used the Nomus as practice dummies but it was different for the test. The one that I fought didn't have any of the restrictions that the others had. It didn't have orders to not touch me or even orders to keep me alive. It was just a plain, old deathmatch. After a fight that spanned almost an hour, I managed to knock it unconscious. It was one of my proudest moments, slightly hampered by the fact that I knew that it was one of the weaker Nomus. I can still remember a time when the Nomus terrified me. Their exposed brains and dead eyes were incredibly unsettling. I'm still not sure where they come from and asking about it is a definite no. But I'm definitely more used to their presence now. Their lack of speech makes them very easy to ignore.

Regardless, All for One seemed quite pleased after the battle. "This is an excellent sign," he said confidently. "It is excellent timing as well. The time for our operation is quickly approaching. I will be sure to explain the plan to you in full tomorrow.".

Those words run through my mind and I realize that I should probably hurry. I race through my morning routine and dash downstairs. Shigaraki is already dressed and drinking coffee by the time I reach the bar. Kurogiri's embargo on caffeine survived only three more tantrums before he tentatively lifted it. Since then, Shigaraki drinks about a full pot every day. I'm pretty positive that it isn't healthy, but he does seem much calmer after he has his first cup. He shoots me a glare as I reach the bottom of the stairs. Despite how long I've been here, Shigaraki and I haven't really talked much. Not anything that went beyond what was necessary. He always seemed angry whenever I returned from training with All for One. My best guess is that he resents me for stealing all the attention. It's a childish motive, but Shigaraki is a pretty childish guy. Still, as time has gone on, he's tolerated my existence much more. I guess that's the best to hope for.

"Ah, Midoriya. It seems that you're finally awake," Kurogiri says as he sees me enter the room.

"Yeah, sorry for sleeping in so late." I reply sheepishly.

"Not a problem at all," he responds while pouring me a glass of milk. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Shigaraki give a look of disdain. But it isn't pointed at me like usual. Instead, he seems to be staring down… the milk. We eat at different times so I've never seen this reaction before. He has some eccentric habits but a genuine dislike for milk seems to be excessive, even for him.

"If Midoriya is present, then we can begin our meeting.". The sudden sound of All for One's voice surprises me and I almost spit out my drink as a result. I turn to see that the voice is coming out of the TV in the corner of the room. All for One has only used this method of communication sparingly, but the screen always goes fuzzy when he does. All for One continues, his voice slightly corrupted.

"I assume that you are all aware of the news that All Might will be teaching at U.A. High School.". The three of us instantly tense up. This is definitely a serious situation. "This new development and the recent strides that Midoriya has made with his quirk usage tell me one thing. It is time to put our plans into action.". Kurogiri maintains a solemn look in his eyes. Shigaraki starts to chuckle while lightly stirring his coffee. It seems that I'm the only one who doesn't know about the plan.

"We are going to kill the Symbol of Peace. The Number One Hero. All Might.".

* * *

 **Boy, that was a doozy. I really like writing this kind of chapter, one where I can keep it more relaxed while still advancing the plot. If you guys like it (or hate it), be sure to let me know. I'm sure that you noticed two things while reading.**

 **1\. I didn't say what Izuku's quirk was.**

 **2\. I'm planning to do the U.S.J, arc.**

 **Firstly, I do have a quirk in mind for Izuku. It's totally original and has a lot of potential for cool fights. But I really want to do a dramatic reveal for it. The best way to do that is introduce it in the next chapter. Sorry to make you wait.**

 **Secondly, I had a lot of conflict over whether or not to include U.S.J. I don't want to force this story to fit into the structure of actual MHA. Still, I think that doing the villain attack makes narrative sense and there's a lot of possibilities that can come out of it. My idea for tackling arcs is to follow the basic premise, but switch it up however I want. Move around characters, events, etc. If you think this is a good or bad idea, please let me know.**

 **The whole purpose of the Author's Note sections is for me to explain my writing process so that I can get better feedback. You guys have already given me tons of great advice. This story is kinda special to me so I appreciate all of you for sticking with it for this long. As long as you're there to read, I'll be here to write.**

 **See ya.**


	6. Chapter 6- How much have I Changed?

**Author's Note: I actually don't have any comments for this one. Things are going pretty good.**

Chapter 6

How much have I Changed?

* * *

Tension has spread throughout my body. Every inch of skin feels tight, and I can't stop my hands from shaking. I can hear my instincts screaming to run away. I can't believe that I have to do this. I take a deep breath and steel my nerves. This is the job that I've been assigned. I knock on the door.

"H-hey, Sh-Shigaraki. It's a-almost time to leave," I say, with all the false confidence that I can muster. No response. This could be my one chance to retreat and live to fight another day. Before I can consider this possibility, I hear movement on the other side of the door. Then silence. Then,

THUMP.

The light sound of a pillow colliding with the door. Shigaraki starts talking, his voice even less audible than usual.

"Gimme me five minutes.". I'm gonna take that as the possible outcome. I can't even bring myself to reply before scurrying down the stairs. Even after living in the same place for months, he terrifies me. Usually it isn't that bad though. I guess that I'm just nervous about my mission today.

Despite my attempts to calm down, I must still look like a wreck because Kurogiri looks concerned as I walk down the stairs. "Are you alright Midoriya?" he says as he dries glasses. The fact that someone with such an sinister appearance can be so genuine still surprises me.

"I'm fine, just worried about the mission. I've never had to do anything like this," I say with little confidence. "It might help if your disguise was bit more in order.". I give him a questioning look.

"Your tie," he says while pointing at my chest.

Instead of a slender diamond shape, my tie looks like a clenched fist made of fabric. "Yeah, I've always been really bad at that. Dad was never around so I've never been given a proper explanation," I say absentmindedly. A few moments pass before Kurogiri places the glass on the bar and begins to walk towards me. I don't react, too curious to discover his intentions.

He moves his hands towards my neck and for a second, I think that he's going to strangle. Instead , he begins to unravel my mess of a tie. Neither of us speak as he methodically works through the motions. Right over left, left over right, right under right. His fluid motions only serve to prevent me from interpreting any potential lesson. He eventually finishes transforming my pathetic attempt into an actual article of clothing and tucks it into the uniform.

"When you get back from the mission," he says cooly, pausing for a moment, "I'll teach you how to do it properly on your own.". He turns around and resumes drying the glasses. A part of me is incredibly embarrassed by the fact that I had to have someone else fix my tie for me, but that shame is mixed with a bit of appreciation for the shadowy man in front of me.

Any nice, warm feelings that I was experiencing are suddenly erased by footsteps coming down the stairs. I turn to see Shigaraki, clad in all black once again. This is a stealth mission so at least the black makes more sense than it usually does. Still, the image of a stealthy figure is somewhat ruined by the disembodied hand that rests on his face. At this point, I know better than to ask about it. Shigaraki takes advantage of my silence in order to examine my disguise.

"Yep, you look like U.A. trash to me," he says with a condescending tone. I choose to ignore his passive aggressive comment, focusing on my outfit as well. It was pretty easy to get a uniform made for me and it fits in all the right places. But something about it just rubs me the wrong way. I feel like this uniform belongs to someone else, not me.

Kurogiri glances at the clock and my eyes follow. 11:25 am. He turns back to adress me and Shigaraki. "You have five minutes before you leave. I want both of you to repeat what your objective is."

Shigaraki lets out a sigh and starts to speak in an annoyed tone."As soon as lunch starts, I open the security doors and let the press in." Kurogiri nods and turns towards me.

"While the teachers and students are panicked by the press, I find and copy the class schedules so that we know when A-All Might is most vulnerable," I respond, doing me best to sound impartial. Just thinking about what All for One said is enough to make my stomach turn.

* * *

"We are going to kill the Symbol of Peace. The Number One Hero. All Might.".

His words didn't feel real. They came out so casually, as if the statement didn't hold any real importance. Kurogiri and Shigaraki looked unfazed, like All for One had just said that the sky was blue. It only took a few moments for my disbelief to boil over.

"Kill All Might? What's that supposed to mean?!" I said, much louder than I meant to. My outburst must've been unexpected because nobody speaks for a few seconds. Shigaraki moves to respond, but All for One quickly interjects.

"Midoriya, surely you did not take my statement literally," he says with a bit of caution. "I apologize if my crude language failed to properly convey my meaning. We are going to kill the Symbol of Peace,"he says, placing emphasis on symbol. "The idea of All Might. A shining hero that can do no wrong. If we show that he can fail, by defeating him, then the peaceful illusion falls apart. It will be that much easier to educate the masses on the flaws of hero society.".

All for One's words are too eloquent, even for him. It's clear that he's thought out his response. I don't trust him, but it's not like I can say no. All for One gave me a quirk and more importantly, a chance. A chance to do something, be something. I owe everything to him. So I just need to believe in him for now.

I nod my head in response. All for One seems pleased, as his next words are now free of any trepidation. "Excellent. Allow me to explain the plan.".

* * *

I'm snapped out of my recollections by Shigaraki.

"Midoriya, we're leaving now!" he hisses at me. Kurogiri is already opening the warp gate. I lightly clap my cheeks, trying my best to focus. I already decided that I was gonna go through with this. Shigaraki walks through the portal and I quickly follow.

Our surroundings change from a dark, cramped bar to large, open lawn near a tall building. The two of us have landed just behind the main building of U.A. High School. I can see multiple track fields and simulation joints off in the distance. If not for the mission, I would be tempted to explore the campus a bit.

"Don't screw this up," Shigaraki whispers before darting away. He moves quickly, analyzing the building's perimeter closely. It only takes a few seconds for him to find a locked service entrance. The lock is quickly reduced to dust and he slips without a sound. It won't be long until he lets in all the reporters. I have to be in position by then.

I turn on my heel and start making my way around to the main entrance. The specific spot where we appeared wasn't covered by cameras, according to All for One, but the same can't be said for everywhere else. I have to do my best to look like a lost student. I was mainly chosen for this role because I can blend in with the other kids fairly easily. Additionally, I've been inside the school a few times for field trips and tours so I can roughly remember the layout. By the time I reach the front doors, I can already hear the chatter of students. This is the perfect moment to blend into the crowd, but I can't move. I really thought I had gotten over it but one question keeps surfacing in my thoughts.

What if someone recognizes me?

There's no chance of that happening. The news report about me was months ago and my name hasn't been brought up once since then. Plus, it was such a minor crime so the odds of someone remembering me is slim. I keep repeating these words to myself as I enter the lobby. The interior isn't all that impressive for such a prestigious school. Awards and photos line the walls but as soon as I enter the halls, it becomes incredibly sparse. There is a small river of students flowing through the corridors and I decide to blend in with them. I keep my hands in my pockets in an effort to hide how badly I'm shaking. Just keep your head down and hope nobody asks your name. After a bit of walking, I can see the students' destination. The cafeteria.

There are dozens of tables, each of them packed with students. Combined with the number of students waiting in line to buy food and I just wonder how everyone finds a spot to sit. My nerves ease up a little because there's no way that I'd be recognized in a crowd like this. I travel along the wall in order to find another entrance that I can leave. When Shigaraki deactivates the security measures, I do not want to be in a highly populated place. I eventually find an exit that's close to the Hero's Department rooms. That'll be the best place to find a complete schedule for All Might. Just as I start to walk through the door, I hear loud, brash voice.

"Damn it! Look at all these extras hogging up the line!"

I immediately flatten myself against the wall. A group of 5 people walk past. At the center is a kid with platinum blond, spiky hair and sharp red eyes. I have to cover my mouth to stop myself from making any noise. I haven't even thought about him in all this time. More importantly, if anyone's gonna recognize me, it would be him. It doesn't look like he's noticed me. He's too absorbed in conversation with some red-haired guy. I sidle along the wall, all my attention focused on Bakugo. I'm so distracted that I accidently knock over a trash can. It draws a few glances from nearby students and more importantly, from him. I quickly turn my back towards Bakugo in an effort to hide my face. Still, I can't resist the urge to turn back for just one look. Initially, he looks pretty disinterested. But his apathy slowly shifts into curiosity and the into recognition. He begins to take a step towards me.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

The alarm blares, the harsh tones echoing throughout the room. Almost every student looks upwards in order to determine the sounds' origin, including Bakugo. I take the opportunity and dash out of the cafeteria into the hallway. If the alert is going off, that means that Shigaraki has already let the press in. I should already be in position by now but I let Bakugo distract me. The silent shock in the cafeteria has been replaced by a chaotic mob.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

With the students in a panic and the teachers looking for the source of the security breach, I should be fine to comb through some teacher's desk. I push my feet forward, determined to succeed on my first mission. But the thought of Bakugo looking at me keeps dragging me down. His piercing gaze turns my body into lead.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

I thought that after all this time and all of my training, I would be able to face any challenge. Yet all it takes is my old, childhood bully to reduce me back to the wimp that I used to be.

I don't know how, but I manage to force myself to keep moving. Luckily, the constant repeat of the alarm perfectly covers up the sound of my feet pounding against the floor. I run for several minutes, passing by class after class but they're all for Support or General Studies. I need to find a Hero class. A bit of panic starts to seep into my body as I consider the possibility that I might fail.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

I unconsciously prepare myself for the next set of alarms but they never come. The anxiety in my chest quickly spreads, tightening my legs. The abruptness of it almost makes me stagger. Have I been searching so long that the teachers have already ejected the reporters? If so, then the students will be returning to class soon. It'll be impossible to search with anybody else around. I'll have failed the League. Just as my dread reaches its peak, I see a small sign beside a door that reads "H.D.". I throw open the door, taking a second to read the class number. Class 1-B.

The teacher's podium is easy to find, directly centered in front of multiple rows of desks. I start to carefully riffle through the various stacked documents. I see the applications of several students, a seating chart, and a few lessons plans. The one that catches my eye is a paper labelled "U.S.J. Use Schedule". The soonest organized time is in just a few days for class 1-A. Teachers present will include Thirteen, Eraserhead, and All Might.

This is perfect, even better than we could've hoped for. It's disconnected from the main building and large enough to host all of the villains that we've gathered. All of the possibilities flood my mind and distract me from the urgency of the moment. I'm only brought back to reality by a light chatter that is slowly growing louder and louder. My body tightens again as I realize that the students have already been released to class. I need to hurry. I pull out my phone and send my location to Kurogiri. That's the signal to warp me out of here. During the brief moment that the message is being sent, I take multiple photos of the sheet in an effort to get all the important information. A gate begins to form in front of me as the sounds grow closer and closer. I place the sheet carefully back into the pile before leaping through the gate.

* * *

I land on the hardwood floor, stumbling a little. Kurogiri immediately closes the gate behind me. I let out a deep sigh and my body instantly feels lighter, as if all my worries were condensed into that breath. "Where's Shigaraki?" I ask, breathlessly.

"He is already in his room," Kurogiri responds, motioning towards the stairs. "Did you find any useful information?". I open the photos in my phone and double check that the photos aren't blurry. Once I've confirmed their quality, I pass the phone to him. After only a few seconds of analyzing, Kurogiri's eyes open wide in astonishment.

"Midoriya, these are perfect!" he exclaims. "A proper location, times, staff present. You've done an excellent job.". He punctuates his statement by firmly gripping my shoulder.

"I'll present these to All for One. You can go back to your room and rest up. I think that you've done more than enough for today.".

I can only nod in appreciation before sluggishly walking up the stairs. The whole operation only took about an hour but I am absolutely beat. Still, Kurogiri's praise echoes through my mind, bringing a subconscious smile to my face. I make my way to my room and just as I gently close the door, a massive wave of fatigue heats me. My knees feel as if they will buckle under the weight of my my own body. As soon as I'm within arm's reach of my bed, I collapse on it. The soft, warm covers begin to lull me into sleep. I think that I've earned a nap after today, but I can almost hear a voice in my head ask me… Have I?

Despite Kurogiri's vocal compliments, I can't shake a feeling of defeat. I succeeded but only barely. And I nearly failed because I was frightened by my old friend, Bakugo. That's what is really sticking with me. I spent so long training and cultivating my new quirk. I had gained a level of confidence that was unprecedented for me. I was feeling like I could do anything, stand up to anything. Yet all it took for that to fall apart was a sharp look from someone that used to bully me a little. If a little recon mission like this is almost too much for me, what will happen in a real fight? Will I just fall apart? Is All for One and Kurogiri's faith in me misplaced? Is there really anything I can do?

These are the thoughts that I'm left with as I slowly drift to sleep.

* * *

 **Sorry if this failed to be as engaging as all the other chapters. This one was full of a lot of setup that I plan to come through on. Two of my favorite things about this story is Dad Kurogiri and Tsundere Shigaraki. Writing little character interactions for them is ridiculously fun.**

 **If you think that I slipped up somewhere along the line, feel free to let me know. This is a story that's written by you guys as much as it's written by me. I promise that there will be cool stuff in the next chapter (and maybe I'll introduce Izuku's quirk too).**

 **See ya.**


	7. Chapter 7- Someone who can't do Anything

**Author's Note: So, this kind of late but gimme a break. A certain engagement snuck up on me so I had less time to work on it then I thought. Plus, this chapter features a lot of pretty important stuff that I needed time to write properly. However, your patience will be awarded because, as promised, it's cool stuff time.**

Chapter 7

Someone who can't do Anything

* * *

"Does everything fit?"

Kurogiri's question prompts me to go over my outfit one more time. I feel like I've examined it plenty but it's always worth it to double check. Or quintuple check in this case. I run my hands over the fabric, occasionally pulling at random spots in order to check how loose it is. My role in the plan revolves around me being inconspicuous so my attire is fairly generic. A tattered black jacket, that is zipped all the way up, grey pants, and thin leather gloves. Beneath the coat, I've got a navy blue shirt. My face is hidden by a simple, dark red bandana that covers my mouth and nose, leaving the top half of my face unprotected. The whole getup looks more like something Shigaraki would wear, considering the overall prevalence of dark colors. Despite how shabby it looks, the clothes do fit well and I there aren't any significant restrictions on my movement.

Kurogiri seems to agree, finally. He was the one who picked out the outfit, so I'm not surprised by the fact that it feels fine. Though, I am worried about my temperature. I don't foresee the U.S.J being all that cold, so I wonder if I'll start burning up. Maybe Kurogiri knows something that I don't, so I'll just stay quiet about it. However, I will take the liberty of unzipping the jacket just a little, as well as leaving the bandana down until we're in the U.S.J.

"If everything's alright, then there's nothing stopping us from beginning the mission. Shigaraki is already waiting downstairs." My breathing hitches in immediate response. Kurogiri clearly notices but doesn't respond. Instead he just calmly moves to exit my room. Just as he's about to walk through the door, he turns towards me and speaks.

"I believe… that you will be fine, Midoriya." His encouragement is so frank that I can't even respond before he walks away. I stand still for a few moments before following him down the stairs.

* * *

When I reach the bottom, I'm surprised to see that Shigaraki is actually there, waiting patiently. The idea of him being awake and prepared before me is somewhat hard to believe. He seems just as casual as he always is, which contrasts with his change in apparel. His wardrobe still consists of only black but he's covered with multiple hands similar to the one on his face. They look like they're holding on to him with a death grip. Are these also connected to his quirk or are they just an aesthetic. I genuinely do not know.

The one to speak first is Kurogiri. "The time is almost upon us, which means I have to speak with all of the villains." We didn't inform any of the recruits about All for One, so they think that Shigaraki and Kurogiri are the masterminds. As a result, Kurogiri was chosen to talk to them, remind them of the mission, and warp them in. He continues, "You two will be the last ones that are warped, followed by Nomu. Don't forget that you need to mix with the crowd, Midoriya. After I seperate the students, just jump into the gate that's closest to you. And Shigaraki, please stay back and support Nomu."

The two of us nod in response, though Shigaraki's seemed pretty reluctant. Kurogiri takes a deep breath before opening a gate and stepping through. He manages to utter one more sentence as he slips through. "Good luck."

And just like that, it's only us.

* * *

Only a few moments go by before Shigaraki turns and addresses me.

"So, feeling nervous?'" he says, his voice dripping with venom. I don't respond but it's not because of shock this time. I want to see where he's going before I say anything bold. He takes my silence as an opportunity to continue speaking. "As far as I'm concerned, this is your only chance to prove yourself. Anyone can sneak into a high school and take a few photos. Kurogiri may think of that kind of work as 'excellent' but I don't. And neither does All for One."

That last comment makes my skin tighten and he knows it. "I talked to him earlier. I told him that you needed to produce some results, results that are worth all the time that's been sunk into you. He agreed with me, wholeheartedly. So if you don't impress me today, you're history." He finishes with a flourish, dragging his thumb across his neck slowly.

Shigaraki's words should feel like a sledgehammer to the face, but they don't. In fact, it feels like he's just repeating everything that I've been thinking. It's all true. I haven't done anything noteworthy even though I've been a member for months now. All that I've managed to do is take up everybody's time. If Shigaraki had brought this up a few days ago, I would have fallen apart. But I've had a lot of time to think about all of it, so I manage to keep myself together. His words have helped me realize something. I turn to face Shigaraki and look him straight in the eyes for what might be the first time. I start to clench my fists. When I speak, the words come out strong and with no nervous stutter.

"You're absolutely right, Shigaraki. I haven't contributed to the League at all. For as long as I've been here, I've actually been wasting All for One's time and resources with my training." He is taken completely off guard by my boldness. I continue without hesitating.

"So I need to pay him back. The only way that I thought I could do that was by succeeding in every task that I was given. But you made me realize something. Just scraping by isn't enough. I need to do more than that, I need to excel." A part of me doesn't want to keep talking and say the words that come next. My confidence falters a little and my hands loosen, falling slightly. I keep speaking but I've fallen into a quieter tone.

"But I don't know how to excel. I've never really had the chance to do something important for someone. So I need your help." Shigaraki was surprised before but my brazen request nearly floors him. My voice grows more intense and I clench my eyes due to the intensity of my own speech.

"I want you to hold me to a standard, a requirement that I must meet in order to be useful. If I'm going to move forward as an asset to the League, then I need you to watch me. If I ever falter, you've gotta be there to keep me in line. If you can do that for me, I promise that I won't fail you or the League." I open my eyes to see Shigaraki staring back with a baffled look on his face.

He doesn't respond, choosing to just gawk at me instead. I can feel the urge to back down building up inside me. I resist it and choose to peer right back at him. We stay like this for what feels like hours before Shigaraki chuckles lightly.

"For a little, submissive brat, that was pretty commanding." When he speaks, he does so without all of the bitterness that he possessed earlier. Suddenly, as if on cue, one of Kurogiri's warp gates opens in front of us. The first one is supposed to be mine. I walk towards it but just before I go through, Shigaraki starts to speak again.

"I'll be holding you to all those tough words. So you had better be pretty damn impressive." I smile a little before nodding in return and walking through the gate.

* * *

When I step out of the portal, I become immediately aware that my bandana is still down. I hastily fix it before analyzing my surroundings. I'm in the middle of a large cluster of villains, standing in the center of the U.S.J. The whole building is one large dome that consists of smaller zones which simulate natural disasters. The plan is to split all of the students into the zones so the villains can deal with them, while Nomu fights All Might. Just as that thought crosses my mind, another gate opens behind me. Shigaraki walks out, followed by Nomu. The hulking monster's presence has already changed the mood of the entire situation. It's blank gaze and exposed brain are deeply unsettling. I choose to focus on the students instead.

They're all at the entrance of the building, slowly backing away from our group. A part of me feels pity as some of the students start to panic. A man with black hair and a long, grey scarf steps out from amongst the students. Even from this distance, I can tell who it is. The Pro Hero, Eraserhead.

Suddenly, he leaps forward and into battle with the front lines of our formation. Some people can't resist the urge to fight and dive in as well. Still, a large portion of us stay back. We must be the only ones who are actually going to follow the plan.

A few minutes pass. All of the people that charged Eraserhead are promptly being thrashed. His quirk, Erasure, is rendering all of them completely helpless. It's a little strange that All Might hasn't entered the fray but before I have time to dwell on that, a gate appears nearby. It's just one of several and we're all supposed to enter the closest one. I allow the crowd around me to filter through before entering.

I emerge in a jagged, rocky field. Since I was the last one through the gate, the group is already moving forward in search of the students that were sent here. All of them have hungry looks on their faces, eager at the idea of hurting someone. They all decided to join, in spite of the fact that there targets are kids. I can't help but be a little disgusted by their behavior. To me, these guys are the worst type of people. People who cause chaos and pain because they want to, not for any greater goal or purpose. They're different from someone like me or All for One. For us, these fights are a means to an end, not the goal.

I'm too busy ruminating on this to notice that the group has already advanced out of sight. As soon as I do notice my solitude, I begin to run to catch up. Just as I start to climb up a high, uneven, I hear various people yelling.

"AGHHHH!" "Who the hell are you?!" "This kid's a monster!"

When I reach the top, I'm met with a field of ice instead of stone. Every villain is trapped in a crowd, their bodies frozen to the ground. In front of them is a boy with multi colored hair. One half is snow white and the other is a deep, fiery red. He doesn't match any of the people that I saw in our group, which means that he's a student. The idea that someone in their first year of high school could be this powerful is ridiculous. He's taken out everyone here and looks barely annoyed. Although, it does make some sense. This class is full of prospective heroes so they would naturally have pretty powerful quirks.

I'm located behind the student but he seems to notice me, as he turns around without flinching. There is a dark red patch of skin covering his left eye. "Hey, you." It takes me a moment to realize that the he is attempting to talk to me. "You look too young to be with these guys but I don't recognize you from the class. Why is someone like you here?" If I pretend to be a student, it'll just catch up to me later. Eventually, we would meet a teacher or student that knows that I'm not in the class. Then I would have to deal with this guy and someone else. For now, I don't respond. "If you won't answer me, then you're an enemy," he continues. I stay silent. "Fine then," he says as he raises his right hand.

In an instant, a wave of ice shoots forth from his hand and straight towards me. I can barely bring myself to roll out of the way, narrowly dodging the stream. The attack is so surprising that I fail to catch myself after I dodge and I fall to the ground. He readjusts his aim slightly and I can see patches of his form on his palm. I take a deep breath.

* * *

"It is called Impel."

I was wondering why All for One summoned me here. I asked him why and that's how he responded. I was left very puzzled for a few seconds before he bothered to explain himself. "Impel functions by activating the quirk of the target. For a brief interval, approximately five seconds, the user can control the activation and output of a quirk. There are no visual cues that hint at it's activation and the only requirement for use is that the target be in full, unobstructed view. Once the five seconds are up, it can't be used for another five seconds. Of course, I have never really bothered with it so I am not sure if the time limits can be extended or reduced respectively. It is a very unique quirk because if the user is alone, then it is a completely worthless ability because there is no other quirk to activate. However, the more powerful the target is, the more powerful Impel becomes. I believe that it fits you quite well, Midoriya."

As he finished, All for One held out his hand towards me but I couldn't bring myself to respond. At the time it didn't feel real. Even though I had always persisted in my dream to be a hero, I had never thought for even a second that I would be able to obtain a quirk. As long as I had been alive, the title "Quirkless" was more important than my own name.

I took his hand. He smiled. And I could tell that something changed.

* * *

Before the student can launch another surge of ice, I activate Impel. From his or any bystander's perspective, I wouldn't look any different. But on the inside, something has changed. I can feel his quirk, the cold in my right side and a stirring fire in my left. I'm not sure about the heated left side but I think I understand his right. I focus my thoughts on the cold and imagine all of it bursting out, like water from a hose.

Instantly, a small glacier erupts from the student's hand. It encapsulates his legs and most f his torso, immobilizing him. The shock of his own power activating against his will is too much and he remains motionless. He recovers quickly though, and places his left hand on the ice. Steam begins to rise and the ice slowly melts away. I don't intervene because Impel is still on cooldown and I can't risk being attacked without it.

The ice thaws and the student is freed. However, he doesn't emerge unfazed. He is already worse for the wear, as he has started to pant and sweat a little. He must still have plenty of stamina because he immediately launches another stream of ice at me. I repeat the process again, forcing the ice in his left hand to break out and trap him. He is much faster in melting this one and launches another wave quickly. His reactions are so fast that I need to dodge again. If he keeps attacking with that speed, I won't be able to activate Impel and he'll crush me. He launches another wave but I can redirect it this time. He's responds even quicker than before, causing the ice to melt before it can even form. Thinking back to the hot and cold sensation that I felt, he must be able to control ice and fire.

At this point, the fight has reduced to the two of us taking turns attacking each other. He seems to be aware of this and uses his chance to set up. Instead of a large ice wave, he covers the ground beneath me with a thin layer. He's trying to make it harder for me to dodge. I can only counter attack by trying to cover him in ice again. The student burns his right side again but I notice something different.

By melting the ice that quickly, he's inadvertently burning himself with the light steam that forms from the reaction. His right arm is slowly turning more and more red. Additionally, he's starting to wheeze a little as his stamina slowly declines. This battle has become a war of attrition on my part. Impel doesn't take much energy each time I use it but his ice and fire does. My attacks are whittling down his energy and hurting him more with each successive attempt. Eventually, he will run out of steam.

Maybe he knows this as well. His next barrage is different. He launches two lines of ice but not at me. Instead, they miss me by a few feet. The ice has formed a straight, thin alley with no room for me to roll out of the way. Because of the ice beneath me, I can't run either. He's got me completely trapped. It's obvious that he's been setting me up for a big attack, probably his last one.

I only have two options. I could try to attack him one more time and hope that it succeeds. But I know that it won't work. While the student is slowing down a little, he certainly isn't anywhere near stopping. My other plan is to wait and assume that he won't notice that I didn't activate his quirk. I choose the second. I don't use Impel once the timer is up, leaving me to do nothing but hope.

Even though I'm not doing anything, he still heats up his right side. Without pause, he launches a flood of launch that fills the alley that I'm trapped in. It only reaches out a few feet before I take control. I can feel his massive output of cold in my right arm. I direct all of that raw power at the floor beneath him.

In a flash, the student is enveloped in a massive chunk of ice. It reaches far beyond his body, creating a veritable iceberg that freezes over the incapacitated villains and almost reaches me. Beyond the crystals of ice that now cover the field, I can see that the student isn't completely frozen over. However, his body is mostly encase, save for his face and left hand. He doesn't attempt to melt the ice of launch another stream.

He remains motionless, seemingly focused on his own breathing. The second I notice that, I become aware of my own breathing as well. It's ragged and interspersed with I'm tempted to collapse to the ground out of exhaustion but I don't deserve it. My fatigue isn't due to any physical exertion on my part since all I did was roll around a little. I'm only feeling so tired because I was thinking about the fight so much. It's as if my mind just ran a marathon in five minutes. Still, that's no excuse to take a break when I could be needed elsewhere. I turn to leave the zone but I spare a second to look back at the student. He gives me a stare that is filled to the brim with disdain. Yet, I feel like not all of that contempt is aimed directly at me.

* * *

 **I gotta say, it feels great to be writing action scenes again. Especially since I got to show off Impel. I really like the mechanics of it and I've already come up with a bunch of cool stuff to do with it. Next chapter will be the end of U.S.J. and will also be full of cool stuff. Hopefully, you stick around to see it.**

 **See ya.**


	8. Chapter 8- I Must be Unrecognizable

Chapter 8

I Must be Unrecognizable

* * *

I sprint out of the rock area as quickly as I can. That ice and fire guy seemed to be the only student that was sent to that that he's incapacitated, I'm not completely sure of my next course of action. Do I try to help restrain the students in other zones or just stay put? I resolve to check in with Kurogiri and Shigaraki and take it from there. When I exit the zone, I'm greeted by something surprising.

All of the villains that stayed behind to fight Eraserhead have been promptly stomped. Several of them lie unconscious on the floor and the few that are standing look like they're barely holding on. That isn't what's shocking. A bunch of street thugs that have only ever fought with their quirks would naturally lose to someone like Eraserhead. What's actually surprising is the fact that All Might isn't here. According to the schedule, he was supposed to be teaching as well but there's no trace of him. Thinking back, he wasn't part of the crowd when we entered either. Is it possible that he skipped out on his teaching duties?

There's no point in just contemplating it. I need to confirm All Might's absence with Shigaraki. Shigaraki is standing in the center of the open junction between all the zones, right next to Nomu. He's completely stationary, making no move to aid in the ongoing brawl with Eraserhead. As I get closer, I can see that he's scratching himself violently. I've seen him do it before but never like this.

It usually looks like a nervous tick, kind of similar to my stutter. Instead of a light rubbing his nails across his neck, Shigaraki is viciously scraping his own throat. With every itch, he's making a deeper mark that's starting to turn red. When I approach, I can hear him muttering to himself. "Why? Why... isn't he here? He's supposed to… be here!" His speech is jagged. He's constantly stopping and starting again. He switches from whispering to almost screaming in an instant.

Everything about his demeanor is frightening, so much so that part of me wants to run away. I have no doubt that he might lash out at the closest thing that moves. However, this plan won't work if Shigaraki falls apart so I push through my hesitation.

"Shigaraki, what's going on?" I say, slowly. He looks at me with intense loathing and starts to swing at me. But he stops himself quickly. When he responds, he does so in his usual voice without a trace of his previous madness.

"Did you finish in your area?".

"Yeah, I did," I reply. "What's going on out here?"

Shigaraki looks back to the fight before answering. "All Might isn't here. I'm not sure why but he just isn't. Even so, we're sticking to the plan."

I want to object. The whole purpose of this mission was to ambush All Might and defeat him while he was most vulnerable. With the students as a distraction and all contact cut off, victory would have been inevitable. But if he isn't here, then we've lost our greatest advantage. The best decision now would be to cut our losses and retreat. I'm fully aware of stupid Shigaraki's decision is but I also understand it. The League has dedicated all of its' effort to this attack. If we call it quits now, that's the same as giving up entirely. This is our one chance to make an impact. We have to stick to it, no matter the consequences.

"Okay then," I respond. "What do you want me to do?"

Shigaraki's gaze is completely fixed on Eraserhead while he answers. "Stay here and take command of Nomu. He's already been set to listen to you. I'm going to get out there and fight." I open my mouth to disagree but he quickly cuts me off.

"Shut up Midoriya. I am pissed. Everything has gone completely off track. If I don't work this out soon, then I'll explode." I still have my doubts but I don't protest further. Shigaraki is a very wrathful person and I'd prefer it if he released all of that rage on someone else. Still, I'm not positive about his odds in this fight. Eraserhead is an insanely strong Pro due to his quirk. Can Shigaraki stand up to that?

I don't have much time to contemplate it before Shigaraki dashes forward. He moves at an impressive speed and makes up the distance between himself and Eraserhead quickly. Shigaraki approaches him just as the last remaining fighter is knocked to the floor. As far as I can tell, Eraserhead has been fighting in a fluid state, constantly moving from foe to foe with ease. He's still in this flow when Shigaraki arrives on the field. The pro hero flawlessly transitions from the dropkick that he used on the last goon to a high kick aimed at Shigaraki's head.

But Shigaraki ducks beneath his leg, finally breaking him out of his perfect series of blows. This sudden change in opponent skill shocks him so much that Shigaraki manges to get even closer without retaliation. He reaches his hands out but instead of attacking Eraserhead directly, he grabs the scarf around his neck. It crumbles apart instantly in his pro notices and quickly steps back, outside of Shigaraki's range. Shigaraki doesn't let up, chasing him down in an effort to finish the fight with just one more blow.

Eraserhead moves to strike but he's much more aware of how dangerous his enemy is now. As Shigaraki closes the distance, his hair begins to stick up as if it was charged with some kind of power. That's the sign that he's using his quirk, Erasure. When Shigaraki plants his hand on Eraserhead's chest, nothing happens. Shigaraki is clearly shocked by this as he doesn't react until he's kicked in the side. The impact is so powerful that he slides a few feet once he hits the floor. Watching the fight play out from a distance is incredibly frustrating.

If I directly interfere, Shigaraki would probably lash out at me as well. I can't even use Impel since forcing Eraserhead to deactivate Shigaraki's quirk is worthless. A brief second of inspiration hits me and I try to use Impel on Shigaraki as he gets back to his feet. He charges at Eraserhead once again as the hero moves to jab him in the face. Shigaraki reacts swiftly and grabs Eraserhead's wrist. Even with Impel activated, Shigaraki's quirk does nothing. By stopping the punch, he's put himself squarely in range of Eraserhead. Shigaraki receives a hard kick to his chin that seems to send him reeling.

Despite the attack, Shigaraki doesn't let go. Instead, he seems determined to maintain his grip on the hero's wrist. When Eraserhead attempts to strike him again with a punch from his free hand, Shigaraki manages to catch that one as well. The shock of his situation proves to be too much for the hero and he involuntarily deactivates his quirk, his hair falling from its' standing position.

"AGHHHHH!"

His scream echoes through the building as Shigaraki's quirk begins to destroy the hero's wrists. Eraserhead struggles violently to wrench himself from the villain's iron grip. He delivers a hard kick to Shigaraki's stomach, causing him to loosen his grasp for a moment. The hero takes the chance and wrests his hands away as he dashes backwards. Eraserhead manages to escape before his hands could be completely ripped from his arms. Still, the skin on his wrists is completely gone, leaving only the dark red, exposed nerves and tendons underneath. The sight is almost enough to make me vomit. Not just the gore of his injuries but the tortured look on his face. It makes my stomach overflow with pity and nausea.

Even though he's in an awful state, Eraserhead doesn't look like he's going to back down. He raises his arms in a fighting stance, as if to confirm my thoughts. I find that admirable but Shigaraki just looks annoyed. At this point, I can't imagine Eraserhead pulling out a victory. Out of habit, I begin to think of possible strategies that he could use.

BOOM!

I'm snapped out of my trance by a far off explosion. Shigaraki and Eraserhead are just as startled as I am, stopping dead in their tracks. All of our eyes are drawn to the sound's source, a zone full of abandoned buildings. One of the villains suddenly appears from inside of the zone's gate. He's covered in ash and is limping slowly towards us. He starts to open his mouth but before any sound can escape him,

BOOM!

He's swallowed by an eruption of dust and debris. Out of the thick cloud of soot, steps a boy with spiky blond hair and sharp eyes. He has a black mask covering his eyes and a grenade shaped gauntlet on each wrist. His face is torn between absolute disdain for his opponents and primal joy at the thought of letting loose. Bakugo.

Despite how extreme his costume is, everything about his appearance is so familiar. It brings back so many awful memories. Just thinking about them makes my mind panic. No matter how hard I try, I can't ignore the tightness in my chest. He moves forward slowly, walking in large strides as he analyzes the situation. I remain completely motionless until Shigaraki starts to hiss at me while keeping his eyes on Eraserhead. "Take care of him!" he says harshly, clearly annoyed by the interruption.

Despite his command, I still can't move. What's wrong with me? Why does Bakugo scare me so much? I could handle that other student just fine so why am I hesitating now? I feel like I knew the answer before I even asked myself. Everything about him just reminds me of the past. Of how weak I was. I could never stand up to him back then, so why would anything be different now? I'm still the same kid as I always have been. Beyond the nagging voice in my head, I can almost hear a small part of my mind speak up.

But you have changed.

The weak, little kid that I used to be and the person that I am now are completely different. All for One's quirk training and Shigaraki's verbal abuse have toughened me up a lot. I've learned how to defend myself and be strong. I'm finally the type of person who can overcome their fear. I grit my teeth and start walking towards Bakugo, matching his pace.

We both start off slowly, sizing each other up. His general lack of outright fury tells me that he doesn't know who I actually am. I'm just more cannon fodder to him. Without warning, Bakugo goes from a gradual saunter to quick dash. He leaps into the air, using his explosions as propulsion. There's still a significant distance between us but he's clearing it promptly. The combination of his frightening speed and vicious expression makes him look like a charging, airborne bull. I maintain my slow gait, allowing him to make the first move.

As he gets within close range, Bakugo begins to reel back his right hand. That's how he starts every fight and it's a perfect opportunity for me. Just as he's within a few feet of me, I activate Impel. I can feel all of the power in Bakugo's palms, like a river that's barely being contained behind a dam. All I have to do is imagine that water bursting through the cracks.

A small explosion is let loose from his right hand. It's a small one but it's strong enough to knock Bakugo off course. Instead of colliding with me, his trajectory makes an abrupt turn to the right. The shock of having his power activate prematurely is enough to prevent Bakugo from properly reacting. He barely has enough time to brace himself before he crashes into the floor. His own momentum is too much and he slides on the floor, screaming all the way.

"Goddamn bullshit, fuck!" Bakugo roars as he gets back to his feet. He's clearly shaken up by how disastrous his first attack was. Still, he wastes no time and is instantly back in the air again. His ferocious speed doesn't give me enough time to recharge Impel. Instead, I prepare myself for a hand to hand counter. He reaches his hand towards me, smoke already discharging from his palm. I dodge to the left and prepare myself for any follow up.

However, his next attack isn't aimed at me. The area where I was standing is suddenly swallowed by a cloud of ash as Bakugo unleashes another explosion. I retreat quickly, trying to understand how he could've missed me at that range.

The answer arrives in the form of a figure in the cloud of debris "What the hell, Bakugo?! Why'd you blast me?!"

The words come from another student. Both his teeth and red hair are spiky and he isn't wearing a shirt. What's surprises me more than his apparel is the fact that he just took a point blank explosion and doesn't look worse for the wear. What could his quirk be?

Bakugo yells back, "Don't get in my way, dumbass! This is my fight!" before turning back to face me. He begins to charge at me again. I start preparing myself to use Imepl but before I get the chance, Bakugo stops short. He manages to completely halt himself and holds up his palm in my direction. He must be planning to use a massive, long range blast. I activate Impel and imagine that raging river being held back, no matter how hard it crashes against the wall. But Bakugo doesn't look surprised at all that his quirk isn't working. Instead, he reaches towards his gauntlet and pulls out a small pin.

BOOM!

A tremendous blast shoots out of the gauntlet! It completely dwarfs any explosion that I've seen Bakugo produce. I react as fast as I can and try to roll out of the way of the burst. I barely dodge the center of the explosion but I can't manage to avoid all of it. The force of the eruption tosses me off my feet and sends me straight to the floor. In the midst of the debris, pain rushes through my body. The brunt power of the attack has left me sore all over and the heat of it has given me a few minor burns. I can feel bits of charred skin flake as I stagger back to my feet.

How could he have possibly launched such a powerful blast while his quirk was deactivated? It must have something to do with the gauntlets. If they work independently from his quirk, I could be at a serious disadvantage. While I'm still cloaked in dust from Bakugo's onslaught, I take a moment to analyze my current physical state. My clothes seemed to have taken the bulk of the heat from the attack. The spots where my clothing was completely blasted off are the only places where I'm burned. A sizable section of my right leg and right arm and a small portion of my cheek. I gingerly rub, trying to ascertain the damage when I realize something. My face isn't covered anymore.

* * *

My heart rate instantly doubles as recognition hits me. The bandana covering my face was completely blown off. My eyes dart across the field, praying that I can find it before my identity is revealed. But the clouds of ash that surround me are getting thinner and thinner. I can't even begin to contemplate other options before a harsh voice pierces through the dust.

"Deku."

Bakugo's figure emerges from the smoke, a hard look in his eyes. My mind surges with a million potential responses but I choose to stay silent. We stare each other down for a few moments before he takes the initiative in the conversation.

"When the hell did you start running with type of crowd?" he asks with no attempt at hiding his disdain. "Seriously, villains? I knew you were a loser but I'd never thought that you would sink to this shitty level?". A part flares of up with a response at the ready but I manage to suppress that. He's just trying to get some kind of reaction from me. I do my best to stay stoic and hide my internal reaction. Bakugo looks like he wants to be mad at this. His fist tightly clench before they go completely limp. His anger disappears and he looks lost. When he starts to talk again, he does so with a bit of hesitation, something that I've never seen from him. "I know that you're upset about your mom."

His statement catches me completely off guard. I can easily tell that my shock is showing in my expression. Bakugo stumbles a bit as he keeps talking. "My old lady told me about how hard it hit you. How different you were. I just wanted to ignore it... but then that report about you came out. I couldn't understand anything. So I just kept ignoring it. You must be angry but this… this is…". He stumbles over his words and seems to be at a loss for how to continue. The thoughts in my head rush out of my mouth before I can stop them.

"Do you really think that I'm mad, Bakugo?" He's just as stunned by my question as I am. Now that I've started talking though, I can't stop myself. "Do you look at me and see some kid lashing out? That isn't it at all."

Bakugo is quick to respond. "Why then? What the hell are you doing here?!" His more subdued attitude is quickly being replaced by familiar rage. He steps forward with both fists clenched once again. "What the fuck happened to you?!" Bakugo is completely enraged at this point. He's treated me like this before but this time, I don't feel nearly as afraid as I did back then. That thought drives me to keep talking.

"Things have changed Bakugo. I've learned so much and worked so hard over these past few months. The fact that you can still recognize me is incredible. So you shouldn't bother trying to understand me anymore because I'm not the same as the Izuku that you could push around."

Only silence follows my statement. Bakugo starts shaking, his eyes completely glued to the ground. When he looks up again, the look on his face is callous. "As if," he murmurs before taking another step forward.

"No matter how much you preach, you're still the same shitty Deku!" he roars before leaping into the air, using explosions to rocket himself towards me. The use of that old, schoolyard insult irritates me and changes my whole mood. How can he just toss away my words so easily?! I lower my stance in preparation for his charge. As gets closer, I activate Impel and focus on all of his power. This time, I force it all out and the water smash through the dam. Bakugo unwittingly lets out another blast, one that was much stronger than the ones he was using.

It's so strong that his speed increases and the distance between us is closed in an instant. While he's still surprised by his increase acceleration, I stick out my arm for a lariat and brace for impact. Bakugo's stomach collides with the inside of my arm, the force of the impact rendering him prone in midair. His momentum is almost enough to knock me straight off my feet but I manage to maintain my balance. I push back with all of my might and successfully knock him to the floor. As Bakugo slams onto the ground, he retaliates quickly and reaches for my face with both hands.

I grab his wrists and redirect them towards the sky. Just in time because his palms are barely facing away before he launches another explosion. The dust from the attack flies into my face, blinding me. Bakugo takes advantage of this and lands a kick directly in my gut. I double over in pain, prompting him to attempt another strike on my face. The fight quickly becomes a struggle over Bakugo's hands. Even after being hit multiple times, I can still manage to keep the blasts from making direct contact. Still, I need to turn the tides in my favor somehow.

The idea hits me in an instant. I weaken up a little on the struggle and Bakugo's hands quickly fall in my direction. The shock of the sudden change in the fight is enough to cause Bakugo's arms to loosen a little as well. In that split second of limpness, I tighten my grip and slam his palms together. The beads of nitroglycerin sweat instantly combust, creating a explosion directly between us. It doesn't cause any serious damage but the force is enough to push us away from each other.

We're left right where we started, although much worse for the wear. Bakugo seems to be taking a moment to reevaluate the fight. The incidental activation of his quirk must be weighing the heaviest on his mind. He would never even consider the possibility that I was the source. I take the brief respite as an opportunity to assess the battlefield. The red haired student seems to have bended to Bakugo's will, since he's keeping his distance from our fight. However, his gaze is fixed somewhere else. I follow his eyes and see a massive, black, muscular figure in the distance.

It's Nomu but why did he move? He only orders were to fight All Might and protect Shigaraki. Just as the thought crosses my mind, I notice something beneath Nomu. He's pummeling the broken body of Eraserhead into the floor. My mind immediately focuses on the situation, wondering how it could happen. The carnage is just… brutal. I'm sharply knocked out of my trance by a harsh yell.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Bakugo yells out of nowhere. My first thought is that the red haired student is trying to interfere but he's completely stationary. My eyes sweep across the field again and I can barely make out bits of ice in my peripheral vision.

It can only be coming from the guy with the burn that I just fought. But how could he have freed himself so quickly? He looked like he was exhausted but he still has the stamina to escape and keep fighting. For a moment, I consider dodging the ice but there's no chance that I'll actually succeed. Just as it all seems hopeless, a familiar black mass appears in the air right in front of me. I leap through just as the frost nips at my foot.

I can't help but stumble as I exit from the other side of the portal into the center of the main area. I've only gained a little bit off distance from the students. As expected, Kurogiri is already there but he's different. He's usually so composed but now, there's a look of panic is his eyes. I don't even have to ask before he answers my next question for me.

"One of the students managed to escape." As soon as the words come out his mouth, I can feel a similar fear creep into my body. If a student escaped, then the Pros will surely descend upon us in no time.

"Does that mean that we should cut our losses and retreat?" I ask halfheartedly. The whole purpose of this attack was to defeat All Might. If we were to leave without so much as seeing him, neither Shigaraki or All for One would accept it. However, we don't get much of a chance to consider the issue.

With no indication, the walls that cover the entrance are blown apart. A powerful gust of wind sweeps through the entire building, completely halting all prior movement. Every eye is drawn to the source of this massive interruption. And out of the clouds of debris steps… All Might.

* * *

 **Author's Note: So yeah, I went about 3 billion years without writing a new chapter or doing literally anything. But trust me, this is better. I tried writing this chapter about 4 times and each one was hot trash. So I sincerely apologize for the "hiatus". I'll probably be back to once a week now but I can't be 100% sure.**

 **Other than that, I hope you enjoyed Chapter 8. I'm excited to be able to really get into the thick of the story. Impel is fun to write and I have a thousand ideas for ways to use it. And I'm very sorry for going dark.**

 **See ya.**


	9. Chapter 9- We're Still so Far Away

Chapter 9

We're Still so Far Away

* * *

All Might's figure stands out from the clouds of dust surrounding him. Instead of his typical, extravagant costume, he's wearing a simple white collar shirt and khakis. It would be a pretty funny scene if not for the expression on his face. There's no wide, goofy grin or absurd pose. His brow is furrowed and he's clenching his teeth, as if he's attempting to contain the emotions that are burning within him. The shadows on his face that usually make him look silly now only serve to accentuate his raw emotions. It's a version of All Might that I've never seen in all of the videos and interviews that I've watched. This is All Might when he's furious.

My first instinct is to flee, to run away and hope that he doesn't pursue me. I try to supress the urge but I can't stop myself from inching away. His mere presence seems to exert a massive pressure on my body. I'm not the only one. Kurogiri seems to feel the tension as well, his misty body shifting erratically. Even Bakugo and the students seem to be rendered completely motionless by the hero. The only one who seems undeterred by this turn of events is Shigaraki. His initial shock has faded and is replaced with an almost childlike glee.

I can't see his face but I can imagine the sadistic smile that he must be wearing now. Nobody reacts as All Might begins a slow walk down the stairs from the entrance. My mind starts racing but I force myself to slow down and properly interpret what's happening. Kurogiri mentioned that one student managed to escape and, assumedly, that's why All Might is here now. But it's only All Might, with no other teachers or reinforcements. I can only guess at why the hero doesn't have any backup but that isn't what matters. More importantly, if he's alone then our plan can still work. Nomu can defeat All Might, as long as it has enough time. All Might reaches the bottom step, his presence still overwhelming the entire field. But the knowledge that we can still win seems to lessen the overall tension in my body. For a moment, I feel just as confident in our victory as Shigaraki. But only for a moment.

All Might crouches down a little before rocketing forward. I don't even have enough time to process his potential targets before he's suddenly right in front of Nomu. The pair stare each other down for a moment until their bodies blur and a massive cloud of dust appears. Barely a seconds passes before a massive gust travels across the battlefield. The wind is enough to drag me back a few feet and force me to close my eyes. When I open them again, All Might is next to the students with a wounded Eraserhead in hand. Nomu is still right where he was, seemingly unaffected by the clash. What just happened was… unimaginable. Their speed and power, it goes far beyond what I expected. I know that All Might is the best but seeing him fight in person is different. He's nothing like he was when he attacked me. So this must be what it's like when the Number One Hero gets serious. Before, I had a vague plan to help Nomu by restraining All Might, even if it was only by a little. Just to know for sure, I halfheartedly activate Impel and attempt to stop the flow of All Might's quirk.

Immediately, I feel like I'm drowning. As if I've been completely submerged in total, raw power. The pressure comes from both inside and out, as if every inch of body was under attack. If Bakugo was like a river, All Might is a raging ocean. And my attempts to control him are as futile as trying to pour the entire ocean into a single cup. The second that I release Impel, I collapse to my knees. Sweat runs across my face as I try to catch my breath. That pressing feeling has disappeared but the mental fatigue has persevered. I ignore the lethargy and get back to my feet. I never thought that I would become so inconsequential in this battle. At this point, it's best for me to just stay out of the way. I back up, retreating to the spot where Shigaraki and Kurogiri are already regrouping. My presence is only barely noted by Shigaraki with a head nod as he returns to his conversation.

"All for One already said that All Might was getting weaker. As he is right now, Nomu will win easily. It already has it's orders so just be on standby for when we need to escape." Kurogiri nods in response and the three of us all turn our attention to All Might. He seems to be talking with Bakugo and the other students.

"Young Bakugo, Todoroki, and Kirishima! You all did quite well to defend yourselves for this long. But there is no need for further conflict for I am here!" he says, dipping back into his more eccentric side in what must be an attempt to calm them down. Fairly pointless, since none of them look remotely worried. Bakugo is especially quick to interrupt.

"As if!" he roars. "These losers aren't even second-rate to me! How about you let us move on and fight the real villains?" He points at us, as if he's verifying his intentions. All Might seems to stumble with this development.

"Hold on, young Bakugo! This is serious business! You can't just," he tries to reply before suddenly turning away from the exchange.

Bakugo is on the verge of complaining again when All Might bolts away. This strikes me as odd until I realize that Nomu has disappeared. In an instant, they collide in the center of the terrain. The force of them crashing into each other sends another gale through the building. I'm a bit more prepared this time so I manage to resist the force of their impact. The pair barely lets a moment go by before simultaneously grabbing each other. Locked into a grapple, the force of their struggle sends cracks through the pavement. Nomu seems to be gaining the upper hand by overwhelming All Might. It's raw power seems to be too much for the hero as Nomu begins to force All Might down to his knees. But before he can be completely dominated, All Might headbutts Nomu directly in the face. The shock absorption quirk takes the brunt of the blow but the speed of the attack is enough to force Nomu to loosen it's grip. All Might takes advantage and , instead of attacking further, leaps away from Nomu. The answer to his uncharacteristic behavior comes to me as I see a trail of ice travel across the ground. Nomu fails to react and the right half of it's torso is encased in ice. Nomu is so caught off guard that it stumbles and crashes to the floor, shattering the frozen section of his body. It would much more concerning if not for his regeneration.

All Might lands near the students and immediately attempts to lecture them. He starts "What were you doing, young Todoroki? You interfered in a very serious battle?"

The ice student, apparently named Todoroki, is emotionless with his response. "But it worked, didn't it?" It's a simple argument and it's one that All Might has no counter for.

A sudden motion in my peripheral vision draws my attention. Shigaraki has begun to scratch his neck again. His earlier glee has been replaced by cold hate once again. He itches harder and faster until he breaks skin and blood starts to drip down his neck.

"Kurogiri," he says, his voice cloaked in a deadly calm. "I want you get me, Midoriya, and those students out of here ." Both me and Kurogiri are startled by this suggestion and start to protest before Shigaraki cuts us off. "Keep us in the building but drop us somewhere else. Another zone or something. Just make sure that we're away from this fight. Now."

I can tell that Kurogiri was against the idea until Shigaraki said "Now". There's so much determination in his speech. It's as if he's become a completely different person. Kurogiri nods and turns to face the students. By now, Nomu has finished regenerating and is back on it's feet. It turns to look at Shigaraki, expecting new orders. Shigaraki simply points at the students. All Might understands the situation in an instant and steps in front of them. Nomu strides across the battlefield and strikes All Might. The hero blocks the attack but the force it sends the students flying back.

At that precise moment, Kurogiri opens three portals behind them. All three students sink in, disappearing completely. "They're in the ruins of the city. You should be able to find them easily." He opens a portal for us as well. Shigaraki walks in and I follow. Before I can fully enter the gate, Kurogiri nods at me. It's a simple gesture and I can't help but nervously smile in return.

* * *

I land in the ground floor of a ruined building. Shigaraki is already surveying the landscape, trying to find the students. I quickly join him but neither of us see anyone amongst the rubble. Taking advantage of the silence, I start to to talk to Shigaraki.

"So, why did you separate us?" Shigaraki chuckles, as if he was expecting the question, before replying.

"It's Boss Battle 101. Most Boss monsters have a bunch of support minions. They're weak but when they're helping out the boss, they can be such a pain. The best strategy is to pick them off before focusing on the real enemy. We can get rid of the little punks and cut off All Might's support. In the meantime, that musclehead will be so worried about his students that he won't be able to focus on Nomu." By the time Shigaraki's finished, I'm speechless. I was already surprised that he was so proficient in his fight against Eraserhead and now he's developed complex tactics on the fly. He's much more capable than his lazy demeanor would imply.

We continue to inspect the city in silence until the faraway sounds of explosions and arguing break through the quiet. "You'll go first," Shigaraki whispers to me. I nod in return and wait for someone to come into view. Unsurprisingly, the first one to appear is Bakugo. He's flying through the air and yelling at someone behind him. He's followed closely by the student with spiky red hair.

"Do whatever you want, Kirishima! I'm finding that shithead Deku!" The redhead, who must be Kirishima responds dejectedly.

"All Might could need our help! We should get back to the main area." Bakugo ignores him and continues to search for me. Todoroki seems to also be following, though he's trailing behind both of his classmates. I'd prefer it if we could separate the group and then attack but that isn't possible now. Just as Shigaraki instructed, I exit the building and run directly into Bakugo's path. All three of them are taken off guard by my sudden appearance, giving me a great opening. I use Impel on Todoroki and take hold of his ice powers. As per my instruction, an ice trail surges forth and separates the group. Bakugo is isolated on the right, with Kirishima and Todoroki trapped on the left. The two of them are next to the building that I was hiding in, so I choose to leave them to Shigaraki. I step to the right and find myself face to face with Bakugo.

The initial shock of my abrupt arrival has worn off. Now, Bakugo is wearing a vicious grin on his face. His voice is laden with anger as he speaks.

"So, are you gonna run away again? Or will you get brain freak to fight for you?!" This time, I respond without hesitation.

"Your quirk is incredible, but you're still the person that doesn't scare me that much." That's a blatant lie. Bakugo's raw power and the fact that he seems to already be adapting to my quirk makes him terrifying. I'm basically stalling for Impel to cooldown. However, my comment seems to hit some nerve.

Bakugo immediately flies into a blind rage and darts forward. I allow him to charge, somewhat thankful that the fight is becoming close quarters again. With those gauntlets, I stand no chance in a ranged battle. Bakugo rockets through the air and begins to reach towards me as he gets closer. Just before he reaches me, his palm directly faces the ground. I activate Imepl and launch a blast at the floor. It isn't strong enough to knock him off course but it does raise a cloud of debris that Bakugo flies straight into. Using it as a smoke screen, I dash through the cloud and reach to grab him. I only have a vague idea of where Bakugo is now but I need to try. I grasp at the area where I think his wrist is. Luckily, I'm dead on and make contact with his gauntlet. As expected, Bakugo immediately reacts to me and goes to blast me with his other hand. I fully grasp the gauntlet and force it to collide with Bakugo's attack.

The immediate explosion blows me away, sending me flying into a wall. The air is knocked out of me as I sink to the ground, unable to move. I thought that Bakugo's attack would shatter the gauntlet but I didn't think that it would detonate with such ferocity. My already singed clothes were further burnt by the eruption and even more small burns are scattered across my body. My hands especially hurt to move, oozing blood everytime that I try to stretch my fingers. Without the sounds of our own battle, I can hear more of the fight that's happening on the other side of the ice wall. The sound of scattered commands and dull impacts are scattered amongst the dull ringing noise in my ear. My mind drifts back to Bakugo and I drag my head to look in his direction. Amidst the dust from the blast, Bakugo's silhouette stands out. But as the debris settles, his figure looks far less impressive. He's gripping his left forearm, where the gauntlet was. Beneath his hand is a horribly burnt area running all over his arm. At the best spots, it's a slightly irritated red and at the worst, it's dark and dripping blood.

Bakugo manages to tear his vision away from his injury back towards me. I attempt to respond by standing back up, using the wall to support me. Bakugo begins to stride forward while slightly limping. He just gets closer and closer as I struggle to maintain my balance. My mind seems to be incapable of focusing, so much so that I barely hear Bakugo when he starts to speak.

"I don't know what the hell has changed about you." He speaks in a low whisper as if he was talking to someone on their deathbed. "The old, shitty Deku that I know would never stand a chance against me. And he would never run with a bunch of shithead villains." I push myself to stand on my own. I start to match Bakugo's pace.

"All I do know is that everything about this," I lean forward, about to throw a punch. "Just makes me want to pummel you!" Bakugo swipes at me, landing a direct blast on my chest. I'm knocked back into the wall, all air escaping my lungs for the second time. It takes all of my strength to resist the urge to just drop to the floor again. Despite the viciousness of his attack, Bakugo seems to be worn out as well. He was pretty confident when he attacked but he's reverted back to grasping his injured arm.

Suddenly, a shockwave seems to travel through the ground beneath us. A wave of power crashes over me and almost drags me back down to the ground. It feels as though this force is emanating from the center of the building. More specifically, the fight between All Might and Nomu. A part of me wonders: what does this surge of energy mean? My question is swiftly answered. Another wave crashes over me as a black mass is launched through the air and collides with the roof. The steel structure resists for a moment before being blown apart as Nomu sails through the sky. The entire building seems to shake in response. Nomu lost. All for One was wrong. And we failed.

I want to respond but the shock of the battle's outcome and my damaged body overwhelm my instincts. My vision seems foggy as I turn back to look as Bakugo. All Might's victory and my defeat have returned him to a relatively confident state. He steps forward to finish me off before a cracking sound breaks through the air. Both of our attention is turned to the ice wall that has been separating the two fights. At first, there's no visible damage on our side. But it only takes a second for a large fissure to form in the wall. It must be Shigaraki's quirk that's affecting the wall but why? The answer immediately comes to me. A distraction.

Without thinking, I turn and run away from Bakugo and our fight. My movements are sluggish so my retreat is not fast at all. But Bakugo is in no position to pursue. He moves to launch himself towards me but flinches as he raises his arm. I push through the pain in my legs as I reach the end of the ice wall. Just as I make it past the wall, Shigaraki also emerges. Unlike me, he's largely untouched except for a few cuts and patches of ice. I turn back to look at his opponents. Both the redhead and the ice student are covered in bloody, exposed areas where Shigaraki must've made contact. The fact that Shigaraki could be so formidable still strikes me.

* * *

We both exit the city zone together, despite how much I'm trailing behind. All Might seems to be stationary in the middle of the battlefield. His gaze was already set on the zone that we just left and he looks concerned by the fact that we were the ones to leave. Kurogiri sees us as well and immediately reacts. Two warp gates spawn right in front of us. Shigaraki quickly leaps through his but I falter a little. In the small instant that I stutter, All Might closes the distance between us. The force created by his movement blows away the portal and leaves me with no means of escape. Kurogiri can't create another one before All Might catches me. He tightly grips my arm and picks me off the ground.

Dangling, I can only weakly struggle and try to loosen his grip. With each attempt, his clasp gets tighter. The hero waits until I've stopped resisting to speak. "The second that I saw you from a distance, I could tell that I knew you." His speech pattern is much more subdued than usual, while still being bold

. "Up close like this, I can finally recall. You're Izuku Midoriya, the boy from that incident with the Pro Hero Tremor. And... you were the boy that asked me if you could become a hero." The fact that he remembers me is surprising but I try not to let that show. It feels wrong for this man to remember my weakest moment. " I looked into you a little after that and found out about your mother. I'm so sorry."

Anything but that. I didn't want to hear that from Bakugo and I don't want to hear it from you. I'm unable to keep my frustration from boiling over as I reply.

"Is that what think I am? Some kid that's lashing out because he's upset?" All Might is shocked by my response and leaves me to continue on my own. "I've joined the League of Villains because I think that heroes are wrong. Being able to do whatever they want. Stepping on the weak. How many people aren't saved? How many are hurt?" All Might still doesn't respond, probably because there is no real correct answer to my question. "I don't know what kind of society that I want to help create, but it'll definitely be better than this one."

I activate Impel and focus on All Might's power. I've learned my lesson and instead of restraining the power, I want to increase. I urge that strength just a little, hoping that the it won't destroy my arm. All Might's grip tightens drastically and a snap reverberates through the air.

"AGHHH!" I scream in response to the pain in my bones. The sudden injury is enough to startle All Might and he immediately releases out of reflex. As I drop to the floor, a portal forms beneath me. Before I completely sink into the darkness, I look at All Might one more time. I expect some form of rage but his face seems to speak to a feeling of helplessness.

* * *

I crash to the floor of our hideout, clenching my arm. Kurogiri is quick to appear next to me and examine the injury.

"It's only a small fracture," he says carefully. "We should set it before it can expand into a full-on break." In almost an instant, my arm is set in a sling. With my most pressing wound temporarily taken care of, I can focus on my surroundings. Shigaraki is already settled in, hunching on one of the bar stools. He seems to be lost in thought. His focus is broken by the sound of static.

All for One's screen slowly lares to life and his slow voice pours out the speakers."With Midoriya here, we can finally debrief." Shigaraki marches to the screen and pounds the wall that it's attached to. "You said that he was weak! You told us that Nomu would destroy him!" His voice has changed once again. This time, it's angry but also whiny. Shigaraki sounds like a child having a temper tantrum. All for One's response is strikingly cool in comparison.

"Yes, I was wrong. It seems that I have underestimated the Number One Hero's resolve. But there is no need to despair, for we still accomplished much even though All Might was victorious." Shigaraki is outraged with his retort.

"Accomplish?! What the hell did we do?! NOTHING!" He accentuates his point by kicking over a bar stool. All for One still stays calm when he answers.

"The Hero Society at large will not forget this event. A group of villains breaking into UA and attacking a class? You can be sure that such an occurrence will remember the League of Villains. Even the foot soldiers and Nomu that were lost are of no consequence. The most important members, the irreplaceables, have all persisted. Each of you did quite well." All for One's words are a great comfort. I was also worried that this mission would be labeled a failure, despite all of our hard work. To know that it was worth something makes me feel much better. But that's a sentiment that Shigaraki doesn't seem to share. Instead he just slumps back on to his bar stool and seemingly returns to his thoughts. Kurogiri leans down and grasps my shoulder.

"You're in quite a terrible state, Midoriya. You should get some rest." I weakly nod in response and make way to the stairs. Just as I reach the first step, I turn to look at the group at large. The flickering screen tells me that All for One is still listening.

"I was thinking about battles and that I'm not sure that I should just be called 'Midoriya' in the middle of a fight." Both Shigaraki's and Kurogiri's heads turn at my statement.

All for One is the first to reply. "So you desire a name, fitting of a member of the League of Villains? And what did you have in mind?" In my own mind, I flashback to Bakugo. For as long as he's had his quirk, I've never been able to stand a chance against him. Today, although I lost, I was able to do something. My mind is set on this.

"You can call me Deku." If they were surprised before, Kurogiri and Shigaraki are outright astonished now. Kurogiri is the first one to speak up.

"Someone who can't accomplish anything?" He asks it hesitantly and I feel the need to justify myself. I respond as I turn to walk up the stairs.

"It is the one type of person that I will never be again."

As I climb the stairs, I can hear Shigaraki chuckle behind me.

* * *

 **End of the first real arc.**

 **I hope that I succeeded in bringing this beginning portion of the story to a close. I wanted to portray both a feeling of growth on Izuku's part and the sense that there's still much more room to improve. Specifically, the idea that even though Izuku was helping out in the USJ attack, he wasn't really able to make much of a difference. As the story moves on, Izuku will become much more of an important factor in future battles. So you can look forward to that.**

 **This took a while to make and it was definitely a killer to write. Right now, I'm getting deeper and deeper into the "finals portion" of school so it might be awhile before I can continue the story. In the meantime, please write a review and let me know the good and the bad so I can improve. Besides that, I hope you enjoyed Chapter 9.**

 **See ya.**


	10. Chapter 10-You Must Learn to Move On

Chapter 10

You Must Learn to Move On

* * *

 **In and out. In and out. In and out. Focus solely on the sound and pace of your own breaths. Concentrate on the slow, monotonous motions until all other sensations fade away. In and out. But after only a few moments, my breaths start to become more erratic. Increasing in both speed and desperation. A couple of seconds later, my focus wavers and it becomes a battle just to stay standing. It's as if my skull has been pumped full of lead, dragging me to the ground. The arm that was stalwartly locked in position begins to tremble. I can feel a swift blow to my chest that almost knocks me off my feet, despite the fact that no one has touched me. I give up, as drops of unconsciousness begin to flood my mind. Before I collapse to the ground completely, I dedicate the last of my will power to the slightest movement in my thumb.**

The pain from my collision with the floor doesn't immediately register. For a brief time, I'm trapped in an uncertain limbo between normalcy and numbness. Eventually, the feeling returns in the form of a sharp ache in my butt. I recoil at the pain and quickly switch to a position on my side. As I wait for the tenderness to fade, I glance at the stopwatch in my hand. 8.63 seconds. A sigh of content escapes my mouth. That's significant improvement on Impel's time limit. Of course, it took intense focus to reach that point. And I have to account for a margin of error, since timing myself isn't a very accurate method of thought drags my attention back to the Nomu standing in front of me. It stares forward blankly, probably unaware that it isn't using its quirk anymore. I can trace its eyes directly to a burned spot on the wall, the area that its Laser Vision was attacking moments ago. The lasers themselves are so weak that they barely cause any damage, making this Nomu the perfect dummy for me to practice on. The thought of asking it to time me crosses my mind but I quickly shoot it down. I learned a long time ago that the Nomus were not capable of precise tasks.

I stagger back on to my feet and step over to a nearby table where my stuff is placed. As I guzzle down the last of my water, I swipe at the screen of my phone for the time. 9:56 pm. The realization that it's this late almost makes me choke on water. I scramble through my contacts to send a message to Kurogiri to take me home. If I'd gone until 10:00 without notice, he'd probably make me spend the night in the Nomu warehouse. I've only had to do it once but the Nomus' empty eyes and the hard rumble of machinery was enough to haunt me forever. Not a punishment that I'm keen on reliving. As per usual, Kurogiri doesn't bother to actually reply. Just as I finish tossing all of my exercise equipment into my bag, a warp gate opens a few feet away from me and I hop through.

I softly land on the other side as I close my eyes, readying myself for some kind of lecture on punctuality. But it doesn't come. When I actually look around, the bar is totally empty. There's no signs of recent activity except for a steaming plate at my usual stool. It's a simple dish, rice and pork. The kind of food that you make in a hurry. A pang of guilt strikes me when I think about how much I must have inconvenienced Kurogiri. I make a mental note to apologize the next time I see him as I start to dig in. Due to its simplicity, the meal tastes a little bland and I begin to zone out as I mindlessly shovel food in my mouth. The faint prickle in my lower back drags my thoughts towards my quirk training. I was a little surprised by my progress today. It was my first session since the USJ attack. It didn't take all that long for my arm to heal since it was only a miniscule fracture. But Kurogiri had confined me to weeks of bed rest so I was bit afraid that I would regress a little in that time. Today was all endurance so I think that I should focus more on control for tomorrow. I realized recently that I focused too much on using Impel. Ideally, it would be second nature, the kind of thing that I don't even need to think about.

Have you ever stared at your hand for a while? Just watching all of the subtle movements and twitches. If you contemplate for long enough, your own hand will start to feel like a foreign object. Less like a part of you and more like the robotic arm in some crane game. Every motion takes conscious effort in a system of inputs and outputs. Eventually, it sends a shiver down your spine and you have to try desperately to focus on literally anything else. That's the only way the experience of suddenly having a quirk. The months that I spent training only succeeded in helping me get used to the idea of having a quirk. Now that I'm accustomed to the mere existence of this "new limb", I need to truly make it a part of me.

My deep train of thought is derailed by the sound of chopsticks scraping against an empty plate. I hastily grab the plate and move to wash it. I'm alone but the thought of someone seeing me so zoned out is embarrassing enough on its own.

* * *

As I make the trek back upstairs to my room, a few arrant noises stop me in my tracks. The possibility that I woke up Shigaraki chills me to the bone. A few moments of concentration reveal that it's coming from his room. Standing quietly at the door, I can hear the muted sound of music and stock sound effects. He's just playing video games late again. I don't dare let out a sigh of relief, for fear of disturbing Shigaraki while he's in the zone. I walk to my room at a gentle pace, praying for my life with every creaking floorboard I step on. Only once I've closed my door do I realize that I wasn't breathing. Gulping in air, still as silent as possible, I lightly toss my workout bag on the floor. Out of habit, I give a cursory glance for anything obviously out of place. The place hasn't really changed in the time that I've lived here. The only significant difference comes in the form of a small pile of books that would look like a mess to any onlooker. But to me, it's an indispensable library of knowledge. Since I couldn't train my body or quirk during my healing period, I resolved myself to cultivate my mind. I did my best to abandon all of the notes I had taken in the past and start anew. Instead of trying to take positive tips from the Pros, I fixated on their flaws and weak points. Re-teaching myself how to look at a fighter with a more tactical eye. The thirteen notebooks, with every page filled to the indents, were the fruits of my labor. Of course, those were merely filled with information on the Pros. I had an entirely different pile dedicated to the U.A. students.

* * *

I could barely hear the sound of light steps beyond the sound my own furious scribbling. The light, dull thuds and slow but steady pace were enough to determine that it was Kurogiri. I slid the notebook off my desk and dove into bed. I was supposed to be getting bed rest, although my arm had all but completely healed. I put on my best relaxed face as Kurogiri opened the door. "Midoriya?" he said in a tenuous voice.

"Yeah. What's up" I muttered through a fake yawn. He didn't react but he obviously saw through my half-assed facade.

"You're still not going to train today," he started off, "but you can still put your time to good use. You probably already know that the U.A. Sports Festival is happening today. You should watch the broadcast and take notes. It's fairly likely that you'll have to fight those students again so it's best for you to get an advantage now."

"Thanks, Kurogiri!" I responded cheerfully. He only nodded in return and closed the door. I hopped out of bed and started searching for blank notebooks. It was such a relief to know that I could watch the festival without constantly listening for nearby footsteps. Settling into my desk chair, I fired up my computer and tuned into the first channel with a live feed.

My fingers flew as I watched the action unfold. The event kicked off with a bang in the obstacle course run. Immediately, I recognized certain students from USJ. Specifically, Bakugo and Todoroki. The sheer power of their quirks meant that they left every other student in the dust. Not to say that they didn't perform fantastically as well. The entirety of the first year class excelled in both the obstacle run and the cavalry battle. It was so interesting to observe all of the unique quirks. Frog, Creation, Copy, Hardening, Steel, and more. I got so caught up in jotting down every ability that I barely focused on the action itself. It was much easier to pay attention in the main tournament. But in those 1 on 1 fights, I found myself feeling a little disheartened. To watch these incredible people use their talents to the maximum, it was sobering in a way.

Especially Bakugo. A new concept struck me as he stood atop the winner's pedestal, accepting his 1st place medal furiously. I had never really thought about how much he must've worked to improve his quirk. To me, Bakugo was always gifted straight from the beginning. He had the natural head start that I wanted so badly. I would tell myself "If I got a great quirk, I would still work hard." Watching him fight with his full strength made me realize that Bakugo did put in the effort to be where he is now, who he is now. They say that hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard. But what about when it does? For me, the answer was work even harder.

* * *

That was the mindset that kept me going through today. It's a warm, comforting thought that helps prematurely lull me to sleep as I slip into my covers. However, there's a gnawing fear that's festering inside of that hope. It's the keen sense that I've forgotten something of grave importance. I run through the day's events to make sure that I didn't mentally misplace anything. Amid the gray fog of vague conversations and exercises, one whispered statement from Shigaraki stands out like a shining lighthouse.

"Try to look professional tomorrow. I've taken the liberty of inviting the Hero Killer to a meeting."

Like a punch to the face, my sudden recollection jolts me awake. Stain the Hero Killer? Here tomorrow? How could I possibly have forgotten something like that?! Recently, he's become like a celebrity in the underground. A masked villain bold enough to pick Pro Heroes off one after another, like a bird of prey. This must be something that was decided on while I was healing. I could foresee Kurogiri or even All for One stopping any information from flowing to me. Part of me agrees with them, that part being the one that can't sleep now. I can't stop wondering and wondering. What will we talking about? How did Shigaraki get him to agree to a meeting? Is he going to join the League? If he does, where's he going to sleep? Does he sleep?

After what feels like hours, my fears and anxieties blend into a lullaby that drags me into submission.

* * *

Like usual, I don't wake up to a blaring alarm or a hurried voice. I'm dragged out of unconsciousness by the natural wishes of my body. I groggily wipe my face as my thoughts drift towards the possibility of breakfast. As I raise myself out of bed, my fingers brush against the edge of my pillowcase. For a moment, I reminisce about an instance from my childhood. I cut holes in an old pillowcase, wore it like a mask, and pretended to be a hero. Hmm. A mask.

Stain! The realization hits me so hard that I trip over my sheets and crash to the floor. I do my best to think calming thoughts as I stagger to my feet. It doesn't work. The strong sense of panic stays with me as go through my routine. I look ridiculous, terrified out of my mind while brushing my teeth. I hurriedly toss on jeans, a black t-shirt, and a green jacket. I start to race out my door but I'm suddenly halted by another thought. What if he's already here? I could hurt the League's reputation if I burst in like I was late for class. Instead, I slide my feet along the ground in an effort to make less noise. At the staircase, I listen for the sound of conversation or a confrontation. I can't hear anything that would indicate either of the two. I take a second to straighten out my shirt before walking down.

Kurogiri has a plate of breakfast out before I even reach the bottom step. It looks to be the same rice and pork from last night reheated. I give a small bow of respect before starting to eat. I do my best to take small bites as I initiate the conversation.

"When's Stain gonna be here?" I blurt out without thinking. Kurogiri only gives a small sigh before responding.

"Actually, I'm supposed to warp him here in thirty minutes." I glance at a nearby clock. 11:30 pm. Jeez, I slept much later than I thought I had. "More importantly," he continues "I can already guess that, despite my urgings, Shigaraki is still in bed."

"Should I go ask him to get up?" I inquire, secretly hoping with all my soul that Kurogiri says no.

"I don't think so." His reply rouses a cheer from me, on the inside. "If we get him into a nasty mood then this whole summit that we've arranged would fall apart in an instant. I silently nod in agreement as I continue to eat. I just hope that I'm not the one that needs to hold the conversation.

* * *

At almost the precise moment that the clock ticks to 11:58, heavy footfall echoes from the stairs. Shigaraki enters the room looking surprisingly professional. It's his usual all black outfit but his hair isn't matted and his eyes aren't foggy. His appearance wouldn't at all indicate that he was asleep five minutes ago. He drops a few photos on the bar and reaches for the mug that Kurogiri hands him. Judging from his lack of reaction, it's probably coffee.

"I'll do all the talking, got it?" he asks without expecting an answer. "Do your best to not look stupid." The command seems to be directed solely at me. Kurogiri and I just nod in return. "Bring him here." Kurogiri's eyes squint slightly in focus as a gate forms at the far side of the room. A few moments pass before he materializes through the mist.

The Hero Killer's appearance immediately unsettles me. He slouches slightly in a stance that resembles an animal, ready to strike at any moment. His body is wrapped in a mix of combat gear and there seems to be at least one knife stored every six inches. His figure is especially menacing when cloaked in his red, tattered scarf and mask. Combined with his flat, scarred face, he gives off the aura of a man that has lived knee deep in battle for years. It's a getup that would look desperate on someone less grizzled. Stain doesn't try to look cool. He just is.

His eyes travel lazily across the room before landing on the three of us. Shigaraki takes the first move and addresses the Hero Killer.

"Well, Stain, this is the base of the League of Villains." He motions towards the empty room to accentuate his claim. Stain looks thoroughly unimpressed.

"You said that you wanted to discuss how our 'interests' might line up," he responds gruffly.

"Tch. So rude," Shigaraki mutters in an annoyed tone before continuing. "If we're gonna be like that, then yes. I have an idea on how we can help each other." Shigaraki grabs the photos from earlier and shows them to Stain. I can see from behind Shigaraki that the photos are of Bakugo and Todoroki. Stain looks to be just as surprised as I am.

"Are you serious? What the hell do these kids have to do with anything?" he demands.

"As we discovered during our attack, the students of UA were a bit more… rowdy than expected. Most of them are nothing that we can't handle except for these two. Their quirks make them too difficult to put down with our current stats. But you should be able to handle it without a sweat."

"And what makes you think that I'm going to kill two children?"Stain demands in an infuriated tone.

"First of all, these two are enrolled in the Hero Course. They're being trained to be fakes, or whatever, and I know how you hate those." Stain seethes a little in response to Shigaraki comment but allows him to continue. "And these two were the biggest obstacle between us and All Might. If we get into a similar scenario, then they might rob of the chance to kill the Number One Hero." Shigaraki delivers every word with cold efficiency in a way that seems impartial but still cruel.

Stain seems to be unable to contain his annoyance with Shigaraki and explodes. "I thought that this 'League' would be something more worthwhile but that was clearly too optimistic. You're all just worthless, a bunch of trash with no ideals. You don't want to create something or change anything. You're just some whiny brat who's bored!" He points directly at Shigaraki. "I can see right through you."

Shigaraki doesn't react for a second. Then, he starts to shake violently. His fingers move erratically as he clenches them into a fist. The photos in his hand turn to dust which scatters across the floor.

"You don't know a damn thing, you freak!" He spits the words out as he lurches forward. Stain reacts quickly and grabs one of the knives stored on his ribs. A flash of steel soars through the air, straight at Shigaraki's chest. Before the blade can find it's mark, two black masses accumulate in front of Shigaraki and above Stain's head. The dagger flies through the first gate and is on a direct path to Stain when his hand tears through the air in a blur. He catches the knife and, with his free hand, reaches for a longer blade resting on his back. He dashes past the warp gate and into direct combat with Shigaraki. They both claw at each other but Stain has the slightest advantage in range. His short sword cleaves through the skin of Shigaraki's shoulder. The slash is deep enough to cause blood to gush from the wound. Shigaraki moves to attack further but suddenly freezes in mid-movement. He falls to the ground, completely paralyzed. Stain moves to execute him while he's defenslees.

I kick myself into high gear. I grab the stool that I was sitting on and toss it at Stain. He barely makes an effort to swat it away but that gives me a chance. I activate Impel in the hopes that I can get some clue as to what his quirk is. For Stain, I sense a feeling of imprisonment. I can dimly acknowledge the sensation of chains between my fingers. And the taste of blood on my tongue.

When I deactivate it, I'm just as confused as before. With no back-up plan, I continue to rush forward. As I get closer, it's plainly obvious that Stain has an overwhelming advantage in a 1 on 1 fight. He swings his short sword at me but even as I roll to dodge, it's obvious that I can't avoid it. However, as his attack approaches, Stain suddenly begins to tilt backwards. My eyes fall to the floor where Shigaraki has dissolved a small part of Stain's leg. With the Hero Killer off balance, I charge forward and push him with all my might. He's launched backwards as a portal is constructed behind him. Stain falls through and comes out from a portal on the roof. He lands with a dull thud but is quick to get back to his feet. I stare him down as Shigaraki stumbles back to his feet. Surprisingly, Stain chooses to sheathe his blades rather than launch another assault.

"Hmph. It looks like this sorry gang can at least muster a half-decent defense. As long as you're still opposed to the Hero society, I see no reason to eliminate you." Understanding his intentions, Kurogiri composes a portal behind him. Stain begins to walk through but turns to us half-way. "Make no mistake. I won't ally myself with some punks with no ambition." He sends us another steeled glare as he disappears through the mist.

Seconds pass without a sound between. Once I'm sure of Stain's retreat, I let out a sigh of relief. This seems to inspire Shigaraki to kick an already broken stool out of rage. As splinters scatter across the floor, Shigaraki slams his hand on the bar with an ear shattering sound. Without saying anything, he walks back towards the stairs and to his room. Kurogiri moves sluggishly to grab a broom from behind the bar but ends up collapsing onto a stool halfway. I follow suit.

"That was... unfortunate," Kurogiri declares, his voice riddled with fatigue. "The Hero Killer could've proved invaluable to our cause." I can only nod in response, my brain too shocked to form a decent reply.

* * *

A few hours later, tensions seem to have loosened up a little. I for one succeeded in winding down, at least a little. Kurogiri seems to have recovered as well and is back at the bar for now. Shigaraki, on the other hand, hasn't emerged from his room since. Honestly, I prefer this over Shigaraki in a bad mood but I feel like all of this alone time might not be helping. Still, I won't be the one to bring that up.

At about 9:17 pm, while eating dinner, a sudden urge strikes me. It's a stupid impulse but I can't ignore it in good conscious.

"Hey, Kurogiri, where did you take Stain?" I ask tentatively.

"Hosu City. He was already staking out a location so I returned him there," he responds smoothly.

"I want you to take me there." He turns to look at me but I cut him off before he can question me. "I know that it's dangerous, and I'll take full responsibility, but this doesn't feel right. To let such a valuable ally just slip through our fingers. This is the kind of idea that needs at least a few chances."

"He already spoke is mind about the League," Kurogiri answers strictly. "But," he continues, "if you think that it is worth it, then I'm required to enable you." A portal forms before me and I'm about to enter when Kurogiri goes on. "At the first sign of danger, contact me. I'll have you out in a second." I give him a fleeting smile as I fade through the gate.

* * *

On the other side, my first experience is a biting, gentle wind. It's spring but the higher up you are, the colder the it gets. A quick glance confirms the fact that I'm on a rooftop. Despite how slow it is, the wind seems to pass through my skin and bite at my raw nerves. I clench my jacket tight as I look for any sign of Stain. I can only detect him from the slight movement of his scarf in the wind. If not for that, he would be completely invisible. I approach him slowly with no efforts to hide my presence. For someone as perceptive as him, it would just be a waste of effort. I get within four feet before Stain holds a hand up to stop me.

"What do you think you're doing here?" he asks in a threatening tone. I can't imagine that just admitting I want him to join us would go over well so I pull a question out of nowhere.

"Why do you do what you do? Kill heroes, that is." I ask calmly. He looks at the ground and collects his thoughts before responding.

"I hate this Hero Society. It's turned the noble idea of a hero and turned it into something malformed. Just look at any Pro. Why did they join the hero business? Was it to help those in need or defend the weak? No, it was the fame or the money. The number of lives that you save is reduced to a statistic which determines how much you get paid. There shouldn't be a reason to save lives, and it sure as hell shouldn't be greed! If I can keep fighting, then I can weed out the trash that society produces. There will be nothing left but the pure, correct idea of a hero!"

He motions to the dazzling city, as if to proclaim how far his ideals would spread. Every word he speaks is powerful, filled to the brim with his determination. I can see clearly why someone like Stain would despise Shigaraki's careless attitude. I want to respond and when I do, the words come to me easily.

"I can understand everything that you're saying, almost too easily. I know what that feels like, to become nothing more than a red X on some agency's spreadsheet. Heroes took everything I had and then tried to sweep me under the rug with money. But that wasn't so bad for me. What hurt the most was when I was afraid." I can see clearly the alley where I fought.

"I was alone and I needed help but I never got any. It was a hero that plunged me even deeper into my own fear. But when that happened, I was the bad guy, not them." I remember the feeling of terror, the darkness closing in on my senses. And then I recall a hand reaching out and taking me away from all of that fear.

"I want to change the world too. I need to change it, to make it better. There won't be any more fakes or lies. The kind of society that I want to make will be one where heroes are heroes and villains are villains!"

Stain stares at me incredulously. Then, a genuine smile breaks across his face.

* * *

My message to Kurogiri gets through quick and I'm back at the bar in less than five seconds. Shigaraki is also waiting, though he looks much less eager to be there. I answer their question before either of them can ask it.

"Stain wants to join the League of Villains."

A static clap breaks through the room. I recognize the sound of feedback as All for One's communication set.

"Excellent, Midoriya. The Hero Killer will be vital to our future plans. It is time to expand the League's arsenal. With Stain's philosophy on our side, numerous elite villains will be sure to follow," he declares jubilantly.

I involuntarily smile a little and try to continue. "Anyways, he said that he would contact us later with his terms and other general info."

"Oh, his _terms_ ," Shigaraki repeats sarcastically. "As if some loser like him has any right to demand anything from us." He stands up and saunters over to me. "But at least you managed to recruit the self-righteous bastard, Deku!" He spits the words out before turning around and leaving again. As I watch him walk away, my thoughts drift back to what Stain said.

"I'll work with the League but I want you to know," he said intensely, "that there is one thing that I won't stand for. A half-assed group. If any member is content to be lazy and achieve nothing, then I won't stick around."

As Shigaraki retreats back to his room, I have to wonder if he actually has any true motive. Or is he just finding a way to spend his time?

* * *

 **Author's Note: Oh boy that was a doozy. This was the longest chapter yet because I wanted to do so many things. You might've noticed that I barely brushed over the Sports Festival. Honestly, I can't think of any good way to handle that arc without bogging down the story. I definitely didn't want to just describe fights that are already drawn and animated.**

 **At this point, we're entering the really cool stuff. The next few arcs are what I always thought of when writing this story. More characters, cool fights, and better opportunities to switch things up. So the story will only get better from here.**

 **Finally, I'm sorry that I'm so bad at updating this. School is almost over so I'll be on a more regular schedule soon. But I really appreciate all the support that I keep receiving, even when I disappear for almost a month. If you have compliments or criticisms, leave a review and tell me what to change or keep doing. I hope you enjoyed Chapter 10.**

 **See ya.**


	11. Chapter 11- It may Hurt but we Need Them

Chapter 11

It may Hurt but we Need Them

* * *

"Hhhhu hhhu hhhhhhu,"

The sound of my ragged breath rattles inside my head and mixes with the dull thud of my feet against the wooden floor. The numb sensation of fear permeates my mind, destroying any hope for complex thought. I'm reduced to my most basic instincts, the desire to hide. My eyes desperately search for any potential havens as I flee through this cramped hall. Out of necessity, I chose the closest door to my right and swing the door open. The room is littered with empty cardboard boxes, wooden crates, and scraps of plastic like a scaled down landfill. I close the door as quietly as possible, plunging the room into darkness. I head towards the vague silhouette of a wooden box large enough to fit me. I begin to scramble inside when the light squeak of a door knob turning pierces the air. I abandon my initial plan and crouch behind the box. Light floods the room just as I take a deep breath. I cover my mouth with my hands and focus on making no sounds at all. All I can hear is the light shuffle of feet among the trash until,

"Hey."

I suppress the urge to squeal as an emotionless voice addresses me. I turn my head slowly to see who's speaking. A tall, slim man stands oppressively over me. He has spiky black hair and light blue eyes but the most outstanding aspect of his appearance is his face. His eyes and chin are laced with deep purple chunks of wrinkled skin held together by crude stitches and staples. His appearance gives off a mismatched, jagged vibe. I can recognize him as one of the newest members of the League, Dabi. I thought that I had gotten used to his patchwork aesthetic but it's even more unsettling in this tense situation. He continues to talk in an annoyed tone, as if my mere presence is a distraction.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asks. Before I can answer, a playful call echoes from down the hall.

"Oh, Deku~." The cheerful appeal causes my skin to tighten. "Come on Deku~. I just want answers~."

Dabi's eyes are drawn to the open door. When he looks back to me, a malicious smirk is beginning to from. His intent is crystal clear.

"No, please don't do this," I plead as loudly as possible while still whispering. "Anything but that, please." My cries fall on deaf ears. He turns to the open doorway and yells in a fake voice.

"What's that, Deku! You're hiding from Toga?! And you're in the third open door on the right?!"

Barely a moment of silence passes before I can hear rapid footsteps travelling down the hall.

"Ugh, seriously?" I groan aloud before ejecting myself from my ruined hiding spot as Dabi chuckles to himself. Running won't be an option as long as she knows where I am so I need to buy myself some time. I grab the crate that I was using as cover and hoist it into the air. I place it haphazardly in front of the doorway while I do my best to ignore the approaching terror. Reluctantly, I dip into the hallway in order to get an idea of how desperate the situation is. I'm greeted by a girl in a bland school uniform with her blonde hair tied into two messy buns. Her pronounced canine teeth and yellow eyes visually remind me of a cat. Her mouth twists into a grin at the sight of me.

"Deku! Tell me all about Mr. Stain!" she demands in a spirited tone. "Does he have a serious face? Does he look really scary? How do you talk to him? What's the best place to stab him? Come on and tell me already!" She accents her requests with the flash of a knife in her pocket.

"I already told you, Toga, Stain wants to stay discreet even with the League. I can't tell you anything. And stop breaking into my room!" I respond as I duck back into the room. In reality, Stain never specifically said that but I can guess that he wouldn't appreciate me talking about him, especially to someone as eccentric as Toga.

"Then I'll just make you tell me everything~," Toga adds as she closes the distance between us. Just as she appears in the doorway, I grab her right wrist with both hands. While she's caught off guard, I yank hard enough to make her stagger towards me. Before our bodies can collide, I swivel to the right to avoid contact. She stumbles over my outstretched leg and the momentum is enough to send her flying. Toga can't manage to completely recover but she does turn around enough to avoid falling flat on her face. Still, it's not enough and she lands awkwardly into the crate I placed in front of the door. As she struggles to escape her peculiar position, I dash out the room. But not before I can through a nasty look back at Dabi, who's still snickering bemusedly.

* * *

With that, the entire second level has been ruled out as a potential shelter so the only feasible option that I have left is the bar. I take the stairs five at a time as I hit the ground with a painful thump. Even before I landed, the eyes of each present League member is already glued to the staircase. Kurogiri's shadowy body stands out from behind the counter. He looks concerned and ready to intervene at a moment's notice.

"You should've known that the Hero Killer would attract a few fanatics. You've only yourself to blame, Deku. Naming yourself as the only link to Stain was shortsighted." The coy voice that teases me comes from Mr. Compress as he wags a finger disapprovingly. His flamboyant mask, bulky overcoat, and gaudy top hat only serve to mock me further.

Although, he is right. It was stupid of me to mention that I was the one who contacted Stain. All of the new members were so intimidating that I felt like I needed to justify my presence. But now I'm the center of attention for the most obsessed recruits. Being the focus of all this attention is the worst.

"Well, you could just help me. Compress me into one of your marbles and slip me into your pocket. We are colleagues now," I add desperately.

"Tut-tut, Deku," he returns condescendingly. "That's such a boring way out. If you want me to help then you'll need to come up with something much more creative."

"Besides, it's so much fun to watch you squirm." The deep voice that interrupts our exchange belongs to the hulking figure of Magne. Even while hunched over the bar, her muscular form is intimidating. She turns to address me and I can see the hint of a sadistic grin creeping onto her face. "At this point, you're just a meek, little mouse for the cat to play with. It's far too entertaining for us to intervene."

Compress nods enthusiastically in agreement. I can't help but wonder why all the new members had to be so cruel.

With Compress ruled out, there's only one possible way to evade Toga. I didn't actually want to act on this last resort plan but I've got no choice now. Even those two would be better than Toga right now. "Kurogiri, I need you to take me to the Nomu factory," I request, trying to hide the reluctance in my voice.

"But, Midor- Deku," he responds, trying cover for his accidental use of my real name. "You know that Shigaraki is,"

"Yeah, I know," I interrupt. I wouldn't normally act this rude except I just heard the light patter of footsteps coming from upstairs. Kurogiri seems to have noticed as well, as a warp gate materializes promptly. Without waiting for a cue, I dive into the portal.

* * *

I'm greeted by familiar, sterile concrete on the other side. The light groans and moans of machinery permeate the air, as per usual, but there's a new sound that is foreign to this place. The sound of conversation. I'm usually the only one here so it feels odd to hear other people talking. The loudest voice seems to be talking about the Nomus.

He declares, "They look pretty scary, Shigaraki, and they're so cute!" Oddly, his voice changed mid-sentence from a fake tough guy to an obsessed middle schooler. As I round a corner, I can see the small group of three that has formed in front of one of the Nomu tanks. The source of the transforming voice is a man in full, grey spandex that I recognize as Twice. I can vaguely remember him acting strange when he first joined but I had passed that off as nerves at the time. Now, it seems that he's just a very peculiar guy.

Before Twice can start rambling, a second member interrupts. "Yes but why do you even have them, Shigaraki? These soulless monsters can't possibly be in line with Stain's ideology." It's much easier to identify the speaker as Spinner. Not just because of the fact that he's a lizard but because his outfit is an almost exact copy of Stain's. He's fully decked out with the flowing scarf and mask but in this danger free environment, he looks pretty silly.

In between Twice and Spinner, I can easily identify the slouching figure of Shigaraki. Although I can't see his face, I can tell from the way that his body slightly trembles that he's exasperated. Kurogiri firmly believed that Shigaraki should get more accustomed with the new members but starting off with two of the most childish recruits may have been too much. I half expected for all three of them to be at each other's throats by now.

Although, I can't imagine it going much better with any of the other members either. From the very first meeting, when Toga and Dabi asked to join, Shigaraki has been even more unresponsive than usual. At first, I naively thought that bolstering the League's strength would result in a positive change for his attitude but only the opposite has been true so far.

"What do you think, Deku? Aren't their dead fish eyes adorable?" Twice suddenly asks in a still fluctuating inflection. I can't think of a proper response before Shigaraki, in response to my appearance, shuffles towards me.

Just as he passes by, he whispers in a threatening tone, "For the love of god, get them off my damn back," before striding past me. He pulls out his phone and I can guess that he's demanding a ride from Kurogiri. While I watch Shigaraki type with increasing frustration, Spinner races towards me with an excited look.

"Hey, um, Deku," he starts off, stumbling as he goes. "I was wondering if, uh, you could tell me about the Hero Killer." He watches me expectantly for a reaction. Usually, he acts aloof around the others but he always acts like a fanboy around me. Judging from his attire, he idolizes Stain in a much more genuine sense than Toga does. It's kind of familiar.

Still, I have to be stern in my response. "I already told you, I can't just talk about Stain like that. He wanted to maintain an air of mystique," I add.

"No, I totally get that. I don't want to know his address or whatever that crazy chick has been on about. I just want to know what he's like, you know?" he replies.

"I'm not sure what you mean, Spinner. Are you talking about his personality?" I ask.

Before Spinner can stammer out an answer, Twice interjects in a fake, scholarly voice. "I think what my comrade is attempting to request is information about the Hero Killer's demeanor."

He looks to the sky in a pose ripped straight from Hamlet, with one hand outstretched to the stars. "The Hero Killer is the solitary banner under which we have all united. His dream for a better world is one which we all share. However, like any idol, he seems so far away to our common hands." Twice accentuates his speech by falling to his knees and reaching forwards with both hands. "It is only through you, Deku, that we can hope to understand this far-off hero."

Twice remains in his pose, attempting to grasp some ethereal object, far off in the distance. His static position is too ridiculous and I can't suppress the rising laughter in my chest. "Hahahahahahaha!" I burst out, drawing a inquisitive look from Twice.

"You dare mock my art!" he roars in a much deeper voice. Twice isn't the only source of amusement. Spinner has been thrust into the same strange situation as me but instead of laughing, he's staring dumbfounded at Twice's complete lack of self awareness.

"Idiots." I can hear Shigaraki insult us under his breath before rounding the corner and, assumedly, returning to the bar. He's always been a bit of a stick in the mud but it sounded like he really meant it.

"So, anyways," Spinner says, having finally gotten his mind back on track after all of that, "Twice was actually kinda spot on. I just want to know if he really lives up to it all."

With that, I can finally put my finger on what feels so familiar about Spinner. The way that he's obsessed with Stain mirrors how I felt about All Might up until a few months ago. That wide eyed fascination with your hero, a person who has ideals that you can really get behind. To see that childish behavior reflected in a full grown man is actually kind of charming.

I spend a few moments collecting my thoughts before I answer him. "When I talked to Stain, he was intimidating. Not just because he was decked out with swords and knives but because he seemed so authentically determined." Spinner seems entranced and even Twice has broken his pose in order to pay more attention.

I continue while looking at nothing in particular. "When he talked about his ideals, it was so obvious that he believed every word that he was saying. It wasn't some fake statement that was prepared ahead of time. It was all thought of in the heat of the moment. Honestly, it scared me. I felt like my own resolve was being undermined by this man that was surely ten times more dedicated than I was. But when he joined the League, I began to feel differently. The fact that someone like him deemed the League, and me, as worthy causes is a source of comfort. His faith in us makes me feel like there's no doubt that the League is doing the right thing. Overall, Stain is a threatening man but he's also the kind of person that can really make you believe in something."

Spinner lets out a low whistle. "Man, he must really be something special."

"Not as special as your wacky hair," Twice adds while stroking Spinner's pink hair.

"Wha- Hey, don't screw with it!" he demands, swatting Twice's hands away.

I can't help but snicker as I watch the two struggle. I was really apprehensive about coming here, since Spinner seemed like another maniac and Twice was just plain weird. However, I can feel myself warming up to both of them. It makes me feel hopeful. I may never understand Twice but if I can relate to Spinner, maybe I can find common ground with some of the other members as well.

* * *

I spend the next few hours with Spinner and Twice. Shigaraki was supposed to explain the purpose of the Nomus to the pair but it seems like he just did his best to ignore the two of them. Eventually, we stumbled onto the subject of quirks. Twice was eager to show off his double ability but Spinner seemed reluctant to share his.

"Even among allies, I can't risk sharing that. It's my secret weapon,"he explained.

"I bet that 'your secret weapon' is just being a lizard," Twice responded.

"No it's not!" Spinner cried out. "It's super cool. You just aren't allowed to know about it." Any further prodding only resulted in an increasingly foul mood.

I was able to answer most of their questions about the League, although I did my best to avoid the topic of Shigaraki. It was easy to tell that they were thoroughly unimpressed with him so far.

Neither of them wanted to stick around to watch me train so they left a while ago. In between practice matches with the training Nomu, I hear the familiar buzz of my phone. It's a message from Kurogiri reading "Please return now. Surprise waiting." It doesn't look urgent so this surprise is probably something fairly tame but I can't imagine what it might be. I reply with a simple okay and barely a moment passes before a portal materializes.

As expected, the bar is the scene that waits for me on the other side. What's unusual is that, despite the increased number of residents, it's empty. There's no here except for Kurogiri and a blonde girl that's slouching over the counter and oh no.

Recognizing Toga, I instinctively step back into the warp gate. Except, it's disappeared and I only collide with the wall. The dull thud of my back against hard brick attracts Toga's attention as she immediately perks up. However, instead of pursuing me like I thought she would, she seems to back off under the watchful eyes of Kurogiri.

"Toga," Kurogiri begins, "is there anything that you want to apologize about?" Toga pouts in response, driving Kurogiri further. "Specifically in regards to this morning?"

She sighs aloud before speaking in a fake, apologetic voice. "I'm sorry for violating your rights and your privacy."

"And?" Kurogiri says, spurring her on.

"And I'll never do it again." She throws in a impish smile at the end and I can see two fingers crossed behind her back. "Is that all?"

She's off her chair and up the stairs before Kurogiri has the chance to respond. We both sigh in unison as I collapse into my usual spot.

"You know that she's gonna try again, right?" I ask dismally.

Kurogiri is equally dejected in his reply. "Yes."

I continue. "And you know that she's crazy, right?"

"Yes."

The conversation ends there as I hold my head in my hands and moan, "Why did things need to get so complicated so quickly?" That smidgen of hope that I had earlier has already faded into dust.

"That reminds me," Kurogiri adds, "I need your help. I need you to talk to Shigaraki." A wave of fatigue hits me at the mention of his name. A part of me knew that some intervention was needed but I had prayed that I wouldn't need to get involved.

"His demeanor has been falling apart for a while now, ever since the Hero Killer joined, and it's begun to affect the new members' perception of League. All for One doesn't feel the need to intervene yet but I think it would be better to act now instead of later. All of my attempts at communication have fallen flat so I think that you're best option now."

"What makes you think that I can change anything? Shigaraki has always hated me. I'm sure that I'd just make it worse," I add, crestfallen.

"I'm not so sure," Kurogiri replies in a hesitant tone. "I don't think that Shigaraki has ever hated you. I think that you can at least attempt to talk with him."

I guess that I can't argue with that.

* * *

Time passes slowly as I wait by the front door of our hideout. The sun has long since sunk past the horizon , leaving the sky in hazy darkness. Shigaraki departed on one of his mood walks so I'm left to wait for him to come back,. I'd wait inside but I'm a little afraid of making a scene so I'm left trapped in this cramped alley. Despite my efforts I can feel the weight of passing time pulling my eyelids shut. Just as my mind begins to drift into the deep ocean of unconsciousness, my eyes vaguely perceive a slouching silhouette shuffling towards the building. Even with his face cloaked in darkness, I can recognize Shigaraki from his light blue hair peeking from beneath his hood. He seems to have noticed me as well, having stopped in his tracks at the sight of me. Then, he resumes his trek towards the front door. However, he nonchalantly brushes past me and continues down the alley. He didn't bother to look at me as he passed but from that distance, I could tell that his face wasn't covered like usual. Only at that moment did I fully process the fact that I had never seen Shigaraki's face before.

Without speaking, I stand up and follow him. As we stray further and further from base, my mind immediately wanders to the gravest outcome. With Shigaraki's temper, I can't rule out the possibility of attempted murder. I'd like to think that he would never but, as we plummet deeper into the night, my faith begins to waver.

Shigaraki seems to be have no particular destination in mind as we wander among twisting alleys and lanes with neither of us uttering a word. Despite the sense of fear that slowly worms its way into every thought, the walk itself is oddly pleasant. I haven't really wandered outside of the hideout that much, for fear of being recognized. That particular concern seems to melt away under the cover of night. I wonder if Shigaraki feels the same way.

Abruptly, Shigaraki's path bends towards what seems to be an abandoned building that's similar to the one we call home. He ducks in through a doorless doorway and I follow. The empty floor that we find ourselves occupying is devoid of working lights. The signs of surrounding buildings and the pale sky act as the only source of light.

"Do you regret it, Deku?" Shigaraki asks, acting as the first one to break the silence between us. "Do you think that granting membership to that self-righteous bastard was a good idea? I don't. Now, the League is crammed full of idiots spouting his garbage. My League has been turned into some kind of fan club for Stain." As he speaks, Shigaraki is almost completely still. His only perceptual movements are the light twitch of his fingers.

"Now we're stuck with him and all of the brats that he brought with him. It's ruined everything. And it's all your fault." He turns to look at me.

From his insistence on wearing that hand, I had always thought that Shigaraki was hiding something terrible. Some flaw or disfigurement that he was ashamed of or found disgusting. As I finally see his full face, there's nothing like that. Deeply worn bags weigh down his eyes and his mouth is marked with a small scar. There's nothing that would suggest any desperate need for a mask.

But his face still sends tremors through my body. What scares me is the way that his features are contorted with rage. The way that his lips pull back to reveal his gritted teeth. And the way that his eyes shine with an intent to kill.

I can't stop myself from backing up a few steps. I want to run away. I want to make sure that I put a world of distance between me and him. But this feeling is very familiar. It takes me a moment to place it and it takes even longer to gather up the courage for what I want to do next.

"Shigaraki, I don't think you understand. What Stain believes in is an important factor to his… popularity but that isn't why he's become a rallying point." I lock eyes with Shigaraki in an attempt to assert my point. I do my best to match his enraged stare as I continue.

"What makes him such an inspiration is his dedication. It's his unshakeable belief in his own ideals. Even though he hasn't spoken a word to any of them, every single one of the new members find themselves entranced by his sheer drive. He's shown that he is willing to kill for the world that he wants to create. But you haven't."

Shigaraki is as incensed by my last statement as I expected. He begins to advance on me but, against the screaming voice of instinct, I don't retreat.

"You've never shown anything close to the level of desire that Stain has. I've known you for months and I still had problems believing that you were serious about the League. The lazy way that you talk and act makes it seem like this is just a waste of time. You can hardly blame the new members for doubting your commitment."

Shigaraki's only a few feet away now. He's practically oozing bloodlust. He begins to raise his hand to attack.

"But they're clearly wrong!" I roar, still locking eyes. He hesitates and I take the opportunity to keep talking.

"It's obvious from the way that you're acting right now. All of the hate that you're feeling proves that you care about the League. If everyone else could see you right now, they would know that you're serious about the League's future. But this is the first time that you've ever acted like this. You need to use this passion more. Show them that you genuinely care. Even if they disagree on morals, they will still follow out of sheer admiration for your drive."

Shigaraki's hand falls back to his side. He breaks eye contact and starts staring through a window at some shape off in the distance. He looks like he's seriously considering what I'm saying but there's still so much conflict in his gaze.

"I know that you hate this. It would be perfect if everyone could just agree with us all the time but that's not how it works. We need them, Shigaraki." I'm hesitant to say what I want to say next. It might be crossing a line but Shigaraki needs one more push.

"All for One wants you to lead the League one day, right? If you're going to be our leader, then you need to be capable of making compromises." Shigaraki doesn't respond.

"It might feel wrong but all of these changes are good. It shows that we're moving forward. And it will be worth it one day. You can trust me on that."

Shigaraki doesn't answer. There must be a viscous battle going on inside of his head. He can be stubborn so I don't know if I made any dent in his mentality at all. He continues to stare out the window, as if the answer to his turmoil lies out on the horizon. Eventually, his eyes close as he exhales deeply. He begins to advance towards me again. I stay rooted to the ground in a final effort to prove my conviction. Shigaraki lingers in front of me for a short second before brushing past me.

"Come on. Let's head back," he calls out.

Without thinking, I let out a long sigh as the tension in my body is slowly released. As soon as feeling returns in my legs, I jog to catch up a little before falling back into our slow gait from earlier. As I walk behind Shigaraki, I can't help but notice that he seems to be slouching a little bit less.

* * *

 **I really love writing in these dynamics into the League. Now that there's more than three characters with personalities, I can really expand the way that the story is told. A lot of the things that I have planned are slow burn so stick around for wacky villains hijinks.**

 **Additionally, you may have noticed that Moonfish, Mustard, and Muscular were not included in the story yet. But the first two are jobbers so they don't matter and I have something different in store for Muscular.**

 **Finally, your boy passed every class so I'm gonna be writing these way more frequently. I might even be able to stick to that once a week schedule. I know that my abysmal update speed is probably one of the worst things about this story but I promise that I'll improve.**

 **And thank you all very much for the constant support over my inexcusable absences. I hope you enjoyed Chapter 11.**

 **See ya.**


	12. Chapter 12- Lacking Insight

Chapter 12

Lacking Insight

* * *

 ***beep beep beep***

The harsh, high pitched tones of my alarm pierce through the morning air. The sudden jolt of consciousness paralyzes me for a moment as my mind starts to awaken.

 ***beep beep beep***

I blink rapidly in a desperate attempt to find my phone. With no windows and the lights off, I have no choice to blindly grope in the direction of the alert.

 ***beep beep bee-**

My finger gently presses against the phone screen, successfully silencing the alarm. It takes a moment for my groggy eyes to read the time. 7:31 am. I let out a groan as I sit myself up. The tempting softness of my pillow begins to call to me and the prospect of five more minutes doesn't seem so bad. Before I can cave into my weakness, I stagger out of bed and groggily begin my routine. The harsh slap of water against my face is effective in waking me up and by the time I'm fully dressed, I feel at least somewhat prepared to start the day.

Even so, the shock of such a rude awakening hasn't worn off. Over the past few months, I've gotten accustomed to waking up at my own pace. The hard switch from that to a merciless alarm will probably take a while to adapt to. The vague sensation that I've been robbed of precious rest is almost enough to convince me to just go back to sleep. Still, I press on and silently march downstairs.

My new sleeping schedule seems pretty stupid now but it's better than the alternative in my opinion. If I didn't change my schedule then I would keep waking up at the same time as Dabi. He didn't seem that bad at first but he's proven to be the most consistently troublesome recruit. His derisive tone has been putting him at odds with just about everyone. As for me, something about him makes me seriously uncomfortable. I can't place it but it makes me want to avoid him as much as possible. Maybe changing a big part of my lifestyle is drastic but I would do much more to stay away from him. It makes me feel guilty for lecturing Shigaraki on dealing with the new members. I'm dodging the issue just like him. Still, it's not something that I'm ready for.

When I get downstairs, I'm completely alone. It's unusual for me to be awake before Kurogiri but I wave that off as him being tired. With Kurogiri incapacitated, I'm left on my own for breakfast. Reheated miso soup from two days ago isn't a perfect fit for most important meal of the day but it's something. Before I can take a bite, I hear the dull creak of the floorboards upstairs.

I know that 8am isn't exactly the crack of dawn but this should still be too early for anybody to be up. My eyes follow the sound of footsteps across the ceiling and down the stairs. To my surprise, Shigaraki enters the room. He doesn't acknowledge me as he makes his way into the kitchen and I can't think of anything to say. I didn't think that he was capable of functioning before 10 o'clock. The earliest that I've ever seen Shigaraki up was 9:30ish on my first day and Kurogiri essentially had to drag him out of bed for just that. I also remember how irritable he was back then so I'm not too eager to deal with him at this hour.

Shigaraki doesn't speak as he walks back into the room, slightly steaming mug in hand. Based on past experiences, I can assume is full of coffee. He navigates behind the bar and places himself directly in front of me. He breaks the silence first.

"Look at this," Shigaraki requests plainly with a tired edge in his voice. He extends a folded piece of paper towards me. I take it while brushing my bowl away in order to make room. As I spread the paper out, I recognize it as a map of Japan. When fully expanded, the map is fairly typical. The kind of map that you find in tourist guides and classrooms. The only change is a small black dot in the center of the country.

"What's this supposed to be?" I ask. Evidently, my question can wait as Shigaraki is in the middle of long chug. Seconds pass as he slowly tilts the mug higher and higher before lightly placing it back on the bar. I sneak a peek inside where only a few drops remain.

"This is U.A." he states, pointing at the dot. "The school always holds a summer training camp for the hero wannabes. There'll only be a few Pros and any of the more troublesome students will be exhausted by their training. It's the perfect opportunity for a surprise attack. The only problem is finding out where it's gonna be."

"It's a secret?" I ask.

"It is to anyone outside of U.A.," Shigaraki responds. "It isn't like the Sports Festival where those idiots were standing loud and proud. Without the shield of a couple dozen of Pros nearby, the school will be afraid of another attack. According to Giran, they aren't even telling the students' families where they're going."

"Do you think it would be possible to infiltrate the school like we did with the U.S.J.?" I inquire. Shigaraki thinks on it for a moment before answering.

"The security will be much tighter than before. Now that the school is afraid, there's no way to just walk in and steal the location again. Our only choices are to pay someone for the information or to take it some other way."

"Buying it isn't a viable option," I reply. "We would have no way to confirm that the informant wasn't working with the Pros to lure us into a trap."

"Then stealing the location is our only option," Shigaraki claims. He begins to tap his finger in thought as he continues. "Are any of our members capable of that?"

Silently, we both mentally check each member's quirks. Kurogiri will still be vital for infiltration but we'll need someone to actually enter the school. Magne, Dabi, Compress, Shigaraki and I are all suited to combat. Twice's clones wouldn't be any help since he can't control them.

"None of us are a good fit for a mission like that," I admit. "That leaves Spinner and Toga as the only unknowns."

"Even if that idiot did have a good quirk, I can't imagine Spinner being sneaky at all."

"Then that leaves Toga as our last option," I reply. "But she won't tell any of us what her quirk. Kurogiri told me that when he asked, she just said that it was 'a girl's secret' and walked away."

Shigaraki thinks on this for a moment before responding. "Then there's only one thing that we can do."

* * *

The amorphous crowd below shuffles forward at a slow, yet steady pace. Each face blends together among the tide of moving bodies. Our vantage point is the third floor of a department store that's undergoing renovations. Being this high up makes it even more difficult to sparse through the horde of people. The heavy traffic is to be expected of such a densely populated area, especially one located so closely to U.A. On paper, that would make this street the perfect location to find one of the U.A. staff members out in the open. However, it's a much different story when you're actually trying to find someone among the congregation. Even when a rare splash of color does stick out, it always belongs to one of the many other Pros that populate the city. Still, I survey the masses dutifully. But after thirty minutes, my attention has begun to waver.

"Hmmm hm hmmm~"

The constant musical interjections haven't been helping. For just a second, I allow my eyes to dart towards my current partner. Toga is sitting down, knees to her chest and back to a nearby wall next to her bag. Her feet are tapping along to the rhythm of the song that she's humming. I don't recognize the tune but she seems to know it by heart. Despite being right next to a window, her eyes are glued to ceiling. I can't help but be frustrated by her lack of attention.

"Toga, can you please help me?" I ask, trying hard to keep my exasperation from showing. "Another pair of eyes could get this done a lot faster."

She appears to be contemplating it for a moment before shaking her head. "Nope. That would just be a waste of time," she replies before returning to her humming.

I should've guessed that someone with her energy wouldn't be willing to participate in such a mundane task. When Shigaraki asked me to investigate Toga's quirk, I thought that a job like this would be perfect. I could simultaneously get Toga to open up while locating a potential source for the camp's location. Unfortunately, my attempts to initiate a conversation have just as pointless as my attempts to find one of the teachers. At this point, I'm feeling fed up.

"Why would someone like you ever want to bother with this kind of work?" I ask in a drained tone. Toga stops humming and looks at me inquisitively, prompting me to explain myself. "From the day you showed up, you've done nothing but act cheerful and carefree. You haven't shown the slightest hint of interest in anything other than Stain." Now on a roll, I hop to my feet and begin to pace as I continue.

"Maybe this is just a dumb sideshow to you but for me, the League is all I've got. I won't tolerate you if you keep treating it like nothing more than a fun distraction."

"Hey, that's not fair!" she retorts, pouting slightly. "Just cause I act all cheery doesn't mean that I don't care. I just can't pull off the serious look like you guys do." She grabs the corners of her mouth and drags them down to accentuate her point. "See, it doesn't fit me at all."

She begins to rummage through her bag while she talks. "And anyways, what's wrong with talking about Mr. Stain? He's the coolest!"

"So, you're only sticking around because you're his fan girl?" I shoot back.

"Well, yeah but gimme a break. This is the first time that I've ever felt this way about someone."

"What do you mean?"

Toga takes a moment to respond. When she does, it's in a more subdued tone than usual."People have always thought that I was weird. My quirk would always gross them out. For someone like me, there was no one that I could admire. But then I heard about Mr. Stain. He killed like I did, cut things like I did. Some people said that he drank his victim's blood, just like me. So I want to be more like him. I want to believe in a cause and all that junk." She stops to think for a second before resuming. "I've never had one before but I think that Mr. Stain is my hero."

Unfazed by her own speech, Toga continues to rustle through her bag. I, on the other hand, have been rendered completely speechless. Before I can begin to formulate a response, Toga jumps to her feet as well and walks to the door.

"Where are you go-" I start before being cut off by the sound of the door being closed behind her.

* * *

Another thirty minutes have passed. The constant crowd surveillance has been making my head throb so I've given up on that. I would abandon the job altogether if not for Toga. She didn't bother to explain what she was doing so I'm completely in the dark for now. Still, I don't think that she would've left without a word if she was going back to the hideout. Toga must be doing something related to the job but I can't imagine what she could accomplish on her own. Still, I think that the best thing to do now is trust that she knows what she's doing. I at least owe her that.

I can't believe that I was stupid enough to think that I could judge her. I had no right to pretend like I understood her motivations. I hope that she gives me a chance to apologize. Without the mobs below to distract me, I'm left to stew in my own regret about the situation. Then, past the dull buzz of people, I hear footsteps outside the door. I instinctively tense up, prepping myself to run if it's an intruder.

The door opens to reveal a plain looking girl with straight brown hair. Her breathing is a little stilted but she is otherwise unfazed my my presence. Her ordinary appearance throws me off and I hesitate to properly react. She walks in casually and addresses me.

"Geez, that took longer than expected. Sorry, Deku." Her cheerful tone and the name Deku tip me off.

"Toga?" I ask with a degree of trepidation. She appears to be confused until she looks down at herself.

"Oh, right. You've never seen me do something like this." For a second, nothing happens. Then, the girl's facial features start to melt away and drip onto the floor. As the last of the gunk trickles away, I can recognize the girl underneath as Toga.

I start asking questions immediately."Is that your quirk? How does you choose what you look like? Is there a time… limit?"

My words slow down. I've begun to realize something. The thin paste that covered Toga's face has melted away but it didn't stop there. The entire physique of that girls has begun to trickle away including her clo-

"Toga!" I exclaim, unable to produce a more rational response. I hastily turn to the wall and cover my eyes. "You're… you...clothes…"

It takes a moment for her to decipher my ramblings and respond "Oops. I forgot about that part. Gimme a minute."

I can hear rustling through her bag, hopefully for a change of clothes. Without looking, I grope blindly for the window blinds. I close them tightly in a desperate attempt to save dignity. My hand remains glued to my face until Toga calls out to me."I'm good now."

I tentatively turn to see Toga fully clothed. I immediately let out a deep sigh of relief as I collapse against the wall.

"What were you talking about before?" she asks.

I have to do a mental rundown of the moments leading up to my heart attack in order to remember. "Um, yeah. Was that your q-quirk?" I stutter, my nerves still shot.

"Yup. I can look just like someone if I drink their blood," she replies. "The more blood I drink, the longer I look like them. But if I wear clothes when I do it, then they overlap and ruins the whole look. So I usually don't."

That last part is pretty weird but the rest of it makes sense. Toga said that people judged her for her quirk. Such a gory prerequisite would be off-putting to just about anyone.

"So, where did you go?" I inquire. Part of me is genuinely curious and another part just wants to change the topic.

"Well, I've been following this hero named Midnight. She's always posting about this one coffee place near U.A. Today was my first chance to check it out and I just happened to see a lady that looked a lot like Midnight. So, I snuck up behind her and got this."

She holds a small glass vial. On first glance, it appears to be empty but when I look closer, I can see a little bit of blood rolling around inside. "I could barely get this much before she noticed. I had to switch disguises and get out fast," Toga explains but I'm barely listening.

An plan is starting to form in my head. "Why did you want a hero's blood?" I ask absentmindedly. I'm curious if she had the idea as I did.

"Just thought it'd be useful, you know?" she replies.

"But Toga, this is perfect!" I exclaim. "With that blood, you can pretend to be Midnight. There's no need to sneak into the school if you look just like one of the teachers. You can just waltz right in and ask for the location."

* * *

We warped back to the hideout as quickly as possible. I was pretty excited to share the plan with Shigaraki but we had to wait for him to wake up. Turns out that the side effect of waking up semi-early was a three hour nap in the afternoon. Tired and disheveled, he still listens intently as I illustrate my plan.

"That could work," Shigaraki responds, "as long as Toga is up to it." he gazes at her questioningly.

She thinks for a second before answering."Hmm, I probably can. The only problem is time." She holds up the near empty vial of blood and twirls it around. "This much will only get me about ten minutes."

"So you'll have to be fast," I say, connecting the dots.

"Yep. But other than that, it's no biggie," she replies.

"Then get ready because you're doing it tonight," Shigaraki declares. Toga and I both give confused looks until he continues. "This information is the crux of the whole operation. The sooner we get it, the more time we have to plan out our attack."

Toga nods and gives a stern salute before running upstairs. I start to walk towards the stairs as well.

Shigaraki stops me. "Wait, Deku. I have more orders for you." I turn back to him. "I want you to partner up with Toga again for this mission."

"But the school knows my face," I retort. "I can't walk in there with her."

"I know that but I want to hang around nearby. We still can't trust her," he adds, glaring at the staircase. "If she gets caught, we can't rule out the possibility of her squealing on us. I would want you on the scene as a monitor just in case. If it all goes to shit then you can be the first to warn us."

I don't agree with how distrustful Shigaraki is being but I can't really argue with him. Even if I do understand Toga a little better now, I can't think for a moment that I'm capable of predicting her actions.

I nod at Shigaraki. "You can count on me."

* * *

 **Writing characters for a fanfic is different from what I expected when I first started. I thought that I all I needed to do was borrow the characters from MHA and that would be it. Nowadays, I'm looking for ways to expand backstories and personalities in a way that would fit the story that I have in my head. It's exciting because I really get a chance to flex my creative muscles but it's also scary cause there's always the risk that you guys will hate how I've changed them.**

 **I guess that the only way to get past that is to just keep writing and fix whatever I get wrong. I hope that I don't sound like I'm whining. I'm just sharing a bit of the thought process behind everything.**

 **This is a pretty short chapter because I wrote more for it but I realized that what I wrote would work better in it's own chapter. So that means that even though this one was short, the next chapter will be out that much faster as a result.**

 **The support that I received after my update chapter was incredible and I appreciate all of it. I hope that one day my schedule will get better and I won't need to keep it up anymore. Thank you for sticking with me through all of the crap.**

 **See ya.**


	13. Chapter 13- To Teach and Learn

Chapter 13

To Teach and Learn

* * *

The room is deadly silent, except for the ticking of a wall clock and the scratches of my pen on paper. The monotony of checking answers right and wrong is slowly getting to me as all the little black circles begin to blend together. The tediousness of it mixes with the ache in my side and I'm tempted to just call it in for the night. Still, tomorrow is the hard deadline for grades and I would hate to be the only teacher that didn't make it. It may prove to be a long night but I won't fail my students. With renewed vigor, I attack the seemingly endless stack of answer sheets when the silence is shattered.

Two quick but powerful knocks reverberate through the air. I almost respond before realizing the state that I'm in. Hastily, I activate my typical transformation. Once again, I feel that familiar sensation of my skin stretching and my organs being displaced as my muscles swell. It takes me a moment to adjust before answering.

"Yes, come in!" I bellow in the most confident voice I can muster. The door creaks open to reveal a shabby looking man with unkempt black hair and a scraggly half-beard. Thank god it's just Aizawa.

With the fear of someone discovering my true form dissipated, I wait for him to close the door behind him before relaxing. The strain of pulling every inch of my body tight slowly fades, although the ache in my side has now evolved into a stabbing pain.

"You're still way too afraid of letting people see you like that All Might," Aizawa starts in an exasperated tone. "School's been out for hours now so there's almost no chance of a student seeing you."

"Heh heh," I chuckle sheepishly in response. "That may be true but the it's still unusual for me to be in this form in public at all. Up until this year, I never used it except at home so I'm still a bit afraid of being so open."

Aizawa glances at the remaining forms on my desk and glances at a few of the names. "Class 1-A, huh?"

I nod back. "They're the only ones that I've got left. It wouldn't be that hard except for their essays." I grab the closest one and show it to Aizawa.

"Look at this, Uraraka wrote six pages on 'The Importance of Self-Defense in Hero Work' and that's only the average length. I don't even want to get started on Iida and Yaoyarozu's." I motion to two stacks of paper, each numbering about thirty pages.

"I suppose that's the side effect of experiencing a real villain attack," Aizawa sighs aloud as he glances through Mineta's 'An Analysis on the Cultural Value of Sex Appeal in Modern Hero Society'.

"I think that it's a sign of how hard they've been working," I respond. "I'm excited to see what kind of heroes they'll become. It makes me feel even worse for needing to skip the summer training camp."

"It can't be helped," Aizawa replies dryly. "It's a bad idea to send the 'Number One Hero' out of the city for a simple camp." He briefly surveys the remaining tests before responding. "Look, you seem to have a lot of work left. If you want, I can take care of the rest."

"Absolutely not, Aizawa," I answer, mustering a tone of stubborness. "It would be shameful for me to fall behind in my work as a teacher."

"Well, it's not like I'm doing it as a favor," he says. "In exchange, I'll need you to do me a favor." For a brief moment, I wonder what Aizawa would ever want my help with.

"A certain you-know-who is practicing in the gym after hours again." My curiosity is quickly replaced by a sense of frustration as I hold my forehead.

"Didn't you say that you were going to take care of the young man?" I ask.

"I did and I tried but something tells me that even if I do start punishing him, he'll just keep going anyways. And I figure that you've got a better chance of convincing him than I do."

I ponder Aizawa's words for a moments before dragging myself to my feet. I address him as I walk to the door. "The boy just needs to realize that there's a better way to go about it. His crude attitude won't carry him for much longer." I continue as I step outside. "I just have to help him realize that."

Aizawa doesn't respond but I get the feeling that he agrees as I close the door behind me.

* * *

I've barely entered the athletics hall when I hear the muffled sounds of explosions reverberate through the walls. As soon I've traced the chaotic sound to the right gymnasium, I stop in front of the door. Once again, I breathe deeply and allow the power of One for All to surge through me. And just like before, I feel my body expand as the familiar strain sets in.

I burst through the gym doors as confidently as I can. As expected, Bakugo standing hunched in the middle of the room, surrounded by scorch marks and a line of unused practice dummies with his gym bag nearby. Behind him is a large smoking pile of foam and leather that I recognize as the smoldering remains of the dummies that have already been… used.

"Bakugo, my boy," I proclaim with a booming voice, "you know that it's been three hours since school ended, don't you? Wanting to practice is admirable but you have to respect the rules of U.A."

"I'm not sure what the hell you're talking about, All Might," he replies, still with his back towards me. "Now that it's summer break, the U.A. facilities are open to student use so I'm not doing a damn thing wrong."

"Yes, well," I struggle to answer back, "that only applies if there are teachers present to oversee the student's exercises and escort them as they roam the school grounds."

"Well, you're here now, right?" he retorts.

"Er, yes but that's besides the point because of the, uh… um… training camp!" I exclaim, having found my winning argument. "One of the main focus points of the summer training camp is to aid in the development of students' quirks in the physical sense. If you work too hard now then you'll be all spent for the real workout. So it's best for you to home and relax a little before the camp starts."

Bakugo continues to ignore me as he sets up another dummy. He puts a few feet between him and the dummy before setting himself in a fighting stance with his right hand drawn back.

 _pop pop pop pop_

A series of small explosions no bigger than firecrackers bounce around Bakugo's palm. He breathes in deeply as the popping stops for a single moment.

Suddenly, Bakugo lunges towards the dummy with his hand outstretched. Reaching forwards, he appears to be in the verge of launching a powerful blast. The straightforwardness of his attack is typical of him. However, just as it seems he's about to attack, Bakugo uses his left hand to change his trajectory. Instead of using his typical powerful dashes, Bakugo uses another series of small explosions to smoothly glide behind the dummy. He calmly places his right palm directly on the dummy's back.

 **BANG**

Fire and ash erupts from the boy's palm as the blast as I'm forced to cover my face to block the smoke. The dust slowly dissipates, revealing a deep black mark that stretches halfway across the gym. Everything north of the dummy's torso has been scattered across the floor, leaving only a burnt stand lying in front of Bakugo. Without emoting, he grabs the remains and tosses it into the already formed pile.

I had hoped that the boy would be more easily persuaded to give it a rest but a part of me probably knew that he'd be this stubborn. As he moves to retrieve another dummy, I match behind him and start "Well, my boy, it seems you've already improved by great strides. You're movement are far more fluid than before and if That is any indication," I point at the smoldering pyre of school equipment, " you're endurance is far greater as well."

The Bakugo from the beginning of the year would have eagerly bit at the chance to praise himself but, as expected, he's completely ignoring me now. We reach the remaining dummies and he begins to pick one up. As he raises it, I place my palm on the dummies head and force it back down as I continue.

"So, Bakugo, what is it all for? Why are you working so hard?"

He pauses for only a moment before responding, "Isn't it obvious? I'm gonna be the Number One Hero which means that I have to be stronger." His words are laced with venom, as if he's offended that I would ask. I feel more resistance beneath my hand as Bakugo tries harder to lift the dummy from under my grip.

I pursue the issue further. "You're not properly understanding me, young man. That may be your goal but there must be some reason for you to pursue it. Everyone has a reason for what they do."

Bakugo seems to process what I say as his grip on the dummy begins to loosen. "Is that really true?" he asks in a more serious tone. "Aren't there just some people who do whatever they want for no reason?"

His quick change in mood seems to indicate that there's something on his mind. Part of me can't help but feel like I shouldn't pry but I won't be able to help him if I don't know what's wrong. Meddling is part of being s hero after all. "There certainly are," I answer, "but sometimes the nonsensical randomness of their actions is part of their motivation. A lot of villains are like that, doing what they want because they can." I stop to observe Bakugo's reaction. His expression has barely changed, as if this was just the kind of talk he was expecting. His unimpressed face makes me want to be more honest.

"However, not every villain is so simple minded. There are plenty of criminals that have ideologies that they believe justifies their actions. Most rookie heroes are unprepared for situations where they find themselves sympathizing with criminals. What's important to remember is the fact that the end never justifies the means. No matter how noble somebody's goal is, hurting innocent people cannot be allowed. That's something that you need to learn, my boy."

As I expected, Bakugo is momentarily staggered before violently reacting. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?! I'm nowhere near similar to that trash!" He gestures furiously at empty space.

"You're far too hasty, young man. You have more in common than you'd like to admit. Your standoffish nature, your quick temper, your violent tendencies. The brutal way that you fight, like in your match against Ms. Uraraka. All qualities that aren't very hero-like if you ask me. You forget that being a hero does not mean fighting villains. It means helping people first and foremost."

"But that's the same goddamn thing!" Bakugo roars back at me. "If you wipe out all the trash before they can even get near someone, then it's the exact same! It's a waste of time to focus on anything other than being stronger."

"That is the problem," I retort, pointing directly at him. Only now do I notice how stern my voice has gotten, completely different from the casual tone that I was using when I entered. Part of me considers that I might be getting a little too heated but it's a warning that's easy to ignore. My drive to help Bakugo as much as I can drives me as I continue.

"Your opinion of others is far too low, my boy. I saw it during the Sports Festival where you considered everyone to be beneath you. You were so busy feeling superior to your classmates that you didn't bother to learn anything from them. At this point, you can no longer coast on the power of your quirk and your talent in battle. You need to improve your weak points, your image and your charisma. All the aspects of hero work that you still think you're better than."

Bakugo doesn't respond. He simply stands there, seething with anger but unable to properly respond. This seems to dissipate quickly though as his expression of anger fades into one of frustration. I consciously remind myself to rein in my enthusiasm. A lecture won't do any good, not with him. I need to quickly think of a way to

"How the hell am I supposed to do that?" Bakugo blurts out. His abruptness catches me off guard and I'm unable to answer before he continues. "You're just telling me the same crap that everyone else has! I know that I scare people and that I'm violent but why does that matter? I'm strong and I can fight. Why isn't that enough? Why can't I just beat the shit out of him and make him give up?!" he yells, echoing throughout the empty room. "I can't do crap like inspiring people or making them feel safe… but does that mean that I just can't do anything?" he asks in a defeated tone.

He moves to walk away but I place my hand on his shoulder and speak to him plainly. "You're still wrong, Bakugo. All that means is that you still have a lot to learn. That's why you're in school after all, to learn how to become a better hero. All of the teachers at U.A. are here to help teach how you need to change, which includes me. If you feel like you don't know what you're doing wrong or you want to know how to reach your next goal, I'm here to help you. You just have to be willing to ask"

He doesn't initially respond, choosing instead to absorb all of my words. He walks past me to grab his gym bag before stepping towards the gym's exit.

"Hold on now, my boy. Students aren't allowed to wander around the school this time of year without a teacher, remember?"

With his back facing me, I can't see Bakugo's expression as he fails to react to my comment. Even so, I follow close behind while still giving him some distance.

* * *

The two of us navigated the school halls without so much as a word between us. Bakugo has been seemingly resolved to completely ignore me. Even as we step outside and approach the school's front gate, he doesn't seem to have any intention of stopping to talk to me. Instead, I address him as he steps beyond the gate.

"Bakugo, it sounded like you were referring to someone earlier. Somebody that wouldn't give up." He immediately tenses up. I'm surprised too as I didn't think that he'd be triggered by the mere mention of it.

"I would never want to pry but I think that you're probably thinking about it wrong. Try not to be so stubborn and listen to his perspective. I'm sure that the two of you can reach a compromise."

Bakugo fidgets for a moment before responding "Probably not."

I sigh aloud and continue, "Well, I hope that you'll try anyways. And don't forget, no matter what people may try to tell you, you can become a hero. I believe that wholeheartedly. Now, go have a plus ultra summer!" I exclaim as I wave him off.

As expected, he doesn't answer. However, as he walks away, he doesn't carry the same dour energy that he did before. I can't help but feel a bit of pride in the young man. I didn't expect it but acting as a teacher has given me a new appreciation for children. Their burning determination doesn't always mix well with their immaturity but they all have good souls.

All these thoughts quickly drag my attention to One for All. Once I'm thinking about it, i can immediately notice the power of it pulse through my body, as if my blood was being pumped at top speeds. This quirk is my responsibility, the power that I need to pass on to the next generation one day. Ever since my battle with All for One, the question has been circulating my mind. Who will be the one to inherit it?

It's a difficult question to answer. How exactly am I supposed to judge who is worthy of One for All? They should have the perseverance to master the quirk as well as a pure desire to use it only for the sake of others. Even after months of teaching, I haven't met a student that can live up to the ideal image of a ninth user that I have in my mind. I'd already decided that Bakugo wasn't a candidate a while ago. Firstly, I'm not sure that he would ever accept it, wanting to become the greatest hero only through his own power. More importantly, his heart isn't in the right place. I believe without a doubt that he can become an outstanding hero but I don't foresee his personality undergoing a complete turnaround. I expect that he'll always be a bit rough around the edges but he'll learn to suppress that when necessary.

Still, I'm sure there's an aspiring hero somewhere that could carry on the torch of One for All. However, until I can find them, I'll have to focus on developing the students that are in my care now. And the best way to do that would be to finish grading their tests. I make my way back to the main building with my resolve as a teacher freshly renewed.

As I open the door, Midnight bursts through. "Oh, hiya All Might," she exclaims jubilantly. Normally, Midnight is reserved and careful in her movements but right now she's rocking back and forth on her feet with her eyes darting across the sky.

"Good evening, Ms. Midnight. Taking a few tests home, eh?" I gesture at the papers clutched in her hands.

"Wha? I mean, yep. Just doing teacher stuff. Bye now!" she exclaims as she hustles down the stairs.

That was… abnormal. Still, maybe she was just excited for summer break. I feel the same way, excited to prepare new lesson plans for my students. I'm looking forward to it.

* * *

 **Boy, Midnight sure was acting weird. I wonder why…**

 **And if you can't tell who's gonna receive One for All then read the manga, you nerd.**

 **I recently removed my Important Update chapter and changed my profile because I am revitalizing my update schedule. New chapters every other week on Fridays/Saturdays. I will prioritize new, high quality chapter over everything else in my life. That sounds a little crazy but in reality, it'll help me a lot to keep to a schedule. Chapters might be a little shorter but no serious drop in quality.**

 **A lot of people liked the All for One perspective in Chapter 4 so I wanted to give All Might the same treatment. This chapter is basically all set up for which is frustrating but we're getting real close to the Forest Training Camp arc. I've got some neat fights planned and this chapter will help give more context to some stuff with Bakugo. This series is all about exploring every aspect of a Villain Deku au such as character moments, motivations, fight, etc so I wanna do all of it correctly.**

 **Please never forget that the fact that you have stuck with this series long enough to be reading this means the world to me. I hope that I only improve from here.**

 **See ya.**


	14. Chapter 14- Onward, to the Next Phase

Chapter 14

Onwards, to the Next Phase

* * *

 _clink clink clink clink_

The sound of metal tapping against cement echoes throughout the room. Each scratch is quick and successive, like the ticking of an old clock. It's not very loud but it's the only noise that breaks through the quiet hum of machinery. I convinced Shigaraki to hold the meeting for the new recruits here, in the Nomu warehouse, because I thought it would provide some form of distraction. But upon their arrivals, neither of them were intrigued like Twice or Spinner were. Both of them just picked a spot to wait patiently, with all of us maintaining a significant distance from each other.

The bigger of the two is leaning on the wall, right next to the warehouse's front door. He's draped in a black cloak with his face covered by mask. His powerful figure only adds to his intimidating presence. He hasn't done anything yet but I can feel the danger radiating from him.

The other guy isn't any more friendly. He's been hunched in a corner only a few feet from me, always shivering slightly. His entire body is wrapped tight in a black suit, save for his mouth. He's already refused my offer to cut him loose without a word. As my eyes are drawn towards him, I notice that he seems to be the source of the scraping noise.

"Hey, could you please stop hitting the ground?" I ask, trying to keep my nerves hidden.

 _screeeeeeeeeeeee_

As he turns to face me, the sound of metal sliding across the floor follows. I almost open my mouth to continue before I see it. A long, jagged tooth extending from his mouth that reaches all the way to the floor. Mixed with the slight glimpse of his pale, twisted skin and his contorted form, it creates a horrific image. I'm rendered temporarily wordless from the sight and the man ignores me completely. He drags his head back to where it was and continues to lightly strike the ground with his teeth. Try as I might to calm myself down, I can no longer think of anything other than the monster lying just a few feet from me. Silently, I pray for someone, anyone to end this unbearable tension.

Only moments after the thought races through my mind, I hear the familiar sound of one of Kurogiri's warp gates materializing. My spirits fly for a moment before I realize who's stepping through. A man with black hair, patchwork skin, and an uninterested gaze. Dabi.

He surveys the room for a momenting, clearly noticing the two strangers waiting on opposite sides of the room. Both of them raise their gaze to acknowledge him, with the constrained one revealing his tortured visage once again. Dabi seems unfazed by either of their appearances as he steps forward to address them.

"So, what the hell is your guys' deal?" he ask lazily. "Names quirks, etc. I assume that the shrimp here was too scared to ask?" he adds, motioning to me. I'd protest if he wasn't right.

The cloaked man is the first to step up. "It's Muscular," he proclaims, "and all you need to know about my quirk is that I can beat the shit out of you." As he says it, his skin seems to tighten as his muscles seem to expand. He grows for a few seconds before reverting back to his still impressive form.

The man hunched in the corner doesn't approach and he seems to struggle with his thoughts before speaking. "I… they…called me… it… Moonfish." he forces out the words like he's choking on them. His scratchy, slow voice sends shivers through my body but Dabi still seems unfazed.

"Great. If you don't mind waiting a little longer, the third should be here soon and then you'll get…"

 _ **SLAM**_

The room's door flies open. It strikes the wall right where Muscular was standing as a tall, stocky figure fills the frame. As my eyes adjust to the sudden influx of light pouring in, they saunter in the room confidently.

"Yoohoo," she exclaims as I recognize the voice to be Magne's. "Look who I found getting lost on my way here." She shuffles out of the way to reveal a short man in a school uniform. What's more prominent though is the gas mask that adorns his face. As he enters, a faint sweet smell sweeps through the room.

"This little guy was wandering the alleys when I found," Magne says as she pats him on the head.

"Don't touch me idiot!" he exclaims while knocking her hand away. "And it isn't 'little guy', it's Mustard!"

"Oooh, touchy," Magne taunts as she backs away.

Before Mustard can retaliate further, Dabi cuts him off once again. "If all you freaks are finally here, then we can get this over with. The others should be here soon," he adds.

Sure enough, only a few minutes pass before more of Kurogiri's portals appear. The rest of the League steps through as Shigaraki is the last to saunter out. He gives each member a quick look before stepping in front of us all and speaking.

"You're all here because you hate the hero society. For what reason, I don't care. What you need from me is an opportunity to attack and all I need from you is for you to break everything I tell you to." He speaks confidently and, while I wouldn't call him charismatic, he does manage to get the point across.

Shigaraki produces a map from his pocket. Unfolding it reveals a map of a forest. "We already know that this is where the U.A. summer camp will be." I notice Toga do happy little dance upon seeing the information that she gathered.

"With your quirks," Shigaraki continues, "this will be the best formation. Magne and Spinner will fight the hired heroes directly. Mustard and Moonfish will close off any escape and keep the kids boxed in. Toga can just wander the area, picking off whoever she wants. Twice will send clones of Dabi to burn the area and cause as much panic as possible. Muscular and Deku will be stationed at the cliffs, ready to offer help to any area that needs it."

I'm momentarily staggered by the suggested partnership of me and this goliath. I look to Shigaraki for an explanation but he's distracted, as Compress jumps in.

"And what would you have the man of the hour accomplishing?" he asks flamboyantly.

"You're part of this mission's second goal," Shigaraki answers. Everyone, including me, is caught off guard by the mention of a secondary objective.

"This operation's success will obviously be a major blow to heroes as a whole but it's not enough. It needs to send a more powerful message. So, instead of just attacking these students, I want to take one of them. Specifically, this one."

He raises a photo of an angry teen with hard eyes and spiky blond hair. My stomach sinks a I recognize him. Bakugo.

"Isn't he that kid from the Sports Festival?" Spinner inquires.

"Yeah, he was a nasty piece of work. I'm pretty sure he won first place too," Magne adds.

"Precisely," Shigaraki responds, "he's a violent, powerful brat who's one of the hero course's top students. Dragging him to our side would be the perfect way of demonstrating the weaknesses of the Pros. Your job," he points to Compress, "is to capture the kid with your quirk and bring him here. I can take care of the rest."

Compress contemplates this for a moment before raising his hands to the sky and exclaiming "Magnificent! The part of the sneak, born in the night. I shall play the role perfectly."

Unfazed by his eccentricity, Shigaraki carries on. "At exactly 11 o'clock, Kurogiri will arrive to extract everyone present at this spot." Shigaraki points out a small clearing on the map. "Anybody not there will get abandoned."

"We'll attack three days from today. Until then, we can't risk any Pros catching wind of this. So I want everyone disperse as far as you can. I don't care how you all prepare but just stay away from each other. We'll come to you when it's time."

The entirety of the League seems to be in agreement as we move to leave. Just as we start to, Shigaraki addresses the group one last time.

"The League's attack force at the USJ consisted of hired muscle and worthless idiots. As a result, it was a complete flop. But it'll be different this time. You're not just a bunch of weak morons. You are the League of Villains new, secret weapon. the Vanguard Action Squad."

* * *

The members slowly left the warehouse, some of them walking out the front door and some of them demanding a lift from Kurogiri. Eventually, me and Shigaraki get taken back to the hideout. For the first time in weeks, there's nobody here but us. With the issue of eavesdroppers fixed, I'm no longer to keep my curiosity at bay.

"So, why would you stretch our forces so thin? Everyone's so far apart that nobody can provide support to each other. And why, exactly, am I partnered with Muscular?" I ask, trying to keep my desperation from leaking into my voice during that last part.

"You're so naive, Deku," Shigaraki chuckles. "Look at our forces. A bunch of murders, wackjobs, and egotists. Maybe you're stupid enough to trust them but I'm not. We keep them spread apart so that if anyone acts unpredictably, the whole plan doesn't go to shit. And if there's one guy we don't want stepping out of line, it's Muscular. So I need someone I can trust to watch him. That means you," he points to me.

"So forget about it," he adds as he walks past me and up the stairs. "Just follow the plan and don't screw anything up." With that, he disappears to the second floor.

I barely have a few seconds to think about his words before a black mist appears in the room. "Apologies for my lateness," Kurogiri says as he materializes from the darkness. "Twice insisted that I bring him to seven different cities before deciding to go back to the are house."

I suppress my initial laughter and respond "Sorry about that. It must be unusual to be faring around this many people."

"I feel like a taxi service," he comments before sighing aloud. "Well, no rest for the weary. Come, you're needed." Another portal forms besides him. I give him an inquisitive look until he answers.

"All for One wants to speak with you."

* * *

I forgot how bleak All for One's hideout was in comparison to ours. It's more similar to the cold, liveless atmosphere of the Nomu warehouse than the warm, chaotic vibe of Kurogiri's bar. The room is the same as I remember with medical equipment scattered across the floor and the only source of light being the computer feed of the hideout. I approach the computer desk, expecting All for One to be sitting there when I'm distracted by a light cough to my right.

"I am glad that you were able to come, Deku."

Turning, I can see All for One approaching me. "Hello sir," I say back.

He doesn't seem that much different from before, still wearing a simple suit with his entire face being scarred and twisted. While I still haven't gotten used to his scarring, it's far less striking than it was months ago. But there is something that out of the ordinary that I do notice.

"Sir, if you don't mind me asking, what happened to all of your medical support?" I ask. As long as I've known him, All for One always had an IV on hand but as he walks closer, he seems to be completely unburdened by any equipment.

"Yes, it is an unusual feeling," he answers, "but I feel as though now is the time to acclimate myself to a freer form of movement. I feel as though I may need to involve myself sooner than expected."

"How can you be sure? One of your quirks?" I inquire.

"Not at all, Midoriya," he responds. "Rather, a general sense of foreboding. When you collect as much experience as I have, you gain a talent for detecting danger. I have an odd suspicion that Shigaraki's plan may not work as he expects it."

"Then shouldn't we try to rework the plan, sir?" I ask

"Absolutely!" he exclaims. "This is an important step in Shigaraki's development. I have given him full control of the operation and I have full confidence that he will accept any consequences that may come. However, as his mentor, I do have one final bit of meddling left to accomplish."

All for One places his hand on my shoulder. For a moment, I feel like tugging sensation. As if some ethereal hand was trying to take something from me. Just as I notice the feeling, it ends and is replaced by an entirely different experience. The feeling of something new and cold rushing into my body. It immediately reminds me of receiving Impel.

"You have been in possession of Impel for some time now and you have been developing it just as I asked you, " All for One says as he starts to back away. " I think your body has properly adjusted enough to prepare you for the next stage." He stops and gestures at his own chest. "Please, try to use Impel on me."

I hesitate for a moment before focusing on All for One. Just as I'm about to activate it, I notice my hand subconsciously drift in his direction. I activate Impel and

 _shiiiing_

Suddenly, a black and red tendril extends from my finger and launches at All for One. Before I can comprehend what's happening, All for One stops the appendage between his fingers. I'm rendered speechless as he runs his finger along it, inspecting the new limb closely. I observe it as well, noticing it's dark red tone and jagged structure. Even as All for One analyzes it, there's no sensation of touch. As if it's less of extension of my body and more of a tool.

"The shape of it seems to be in order, although the rate of extension was a tad bit slower than expected," All for One lists to himself. "Now, to test the durability."

Suddenly, All for One's fingers crash together, breaking the tendril. I open my mouth to scream in my pain only for that pain to never come. The appendage is clearly broken but I still can't feel anything.

"What… what is it?" I ask nervously.

"Apologies, Midoriya, but I thought that a lack of knowledge would make this test more accurate," All for One responds. "After using Impel in its simplest form for so long, I believed you were prepared for a more advanced stage of the quirk." He motions at the already broken appendage.

"These 'limbs', for lack of a better term, function similarly to the ability that you are already accustomed to. By making physical contact with your target, you will be able to manipulate their quirk as you see fit. There is no time constraints and the limbs themselves act as potential combat tools, if you wish to use them that way."

Thinking about what All for One's saying, I hesitantly activate Impel again. Just like before, the red appendage extends from my finger, although much slower this time. Even after the explanation, the experience is surreal. As I wave my hand around, the tendril sways awkwardly like a stick taped to my hand.

"I have no doubt that this will be a radical adjustment for you, Midoriya, but I do not think I could have given you this ability any sooner," All for One starts as he approaches me again. "You see, I did not withhold this power just so your body could acclimate to the experience of possessing a quirk. Up until now, I held the same belief as Shigaraki. I held you at arm's length so that if you ever betrayed us, I would not lose more than I had to."

"That makes sense," I answer, trying to maintain a light tone. "You wouldn't want to lose everything that you invested if I turned out to be a failure."

"But you did not fail," All for One stresses. "You met and even exceeded my expectations on every occasion. You were the one that drew the Hero Killer to our cause and gave form to the determination that Shigaraki now possesses."

Now only a foot away from me, All for One places a hand on my shoulder and continues. "Shigaraki is the one I have chosen as my successor. He will inherit my quirk and use it to see his desires through until the end. However, he still has a long journey until that point and I fear that I may not always be there to support him. Can I rely on you for that task?"

I don't respond immediately. The answer that's dying to fly out is "yes" but why? Shigaraki isn't exactly the most hardworking guy. Even now, he's still too lazy to participate in our mission and he hasn't been going out of his way to get the new members to cooperate. He's a bit of a jerk and he keeps pushing everyone away.

But we've been getting along much better than we did months ago. He even went as far as to say that he trusted me. Compared to before, he has been treating all the new members more fairly. And I suppose that last part of his speech in the warehouse was his attempt to get everyone excited. He's stumbling on his way to becoming a better leader and, for some reason, that makes me want to help him. I don't just want his idea of a world without heroes to succeed. I want him to succeed.

"Midoriya, will you be willing to move forward with Shigaraki?" All for One asks.

I nod quietly. "I'll do everything I can."

* * *

 **So, here's the thing.**

 **When I started writing VD, I was fully caught up with the My Hero Academia manga. I thought that I had remembered the story well enough to not copy any ideas, specifically not copy a quirk for Deku. However, as I binged through the season three recently, I was reminded that All for One already had a quirk that could forcefully activate quirks and made nifty arm, stabby thingies.**

 **Immediately, I wanted to retcon this quirk into VD because it's way cooler than Impel and offers a lot of cool fight opportunities. I got stuck on how to do this though. The initial thought was to rewrite a huge chunk of earlier chapters to include this newly evolved Impel. But I really didn't want to do that. It'd be a lot of work that I should focus into new chapters and it'd basically demand that all old readers reread chapters which would be lame.**

 **So, I tried to work this new ability into the story organically as the next stage of Impel and develop a bit of All for One's reasoning a bit more. I hope that it doesn't feel too forced.**

 **I have a small fear that these author's notes break the immersion of the story but I kinda need them. This is basically the first story I've ever written outside of school and I want to share the process for all of ideas and mistakes (such as the one listed above). If you can seperate my ramblings from the story, I would appreciate it.**

 **I am, however, thrilled with where VD is going. This two week schedule is here to stay and we're finally going to be doing fights. The wait may have been long but I've been practicing to make the action better than before. A punch will be thrown next chapter, mark my words. Sorry for being crazy.**

 **See ya.**


	15. Chapter 15- For What We Believe In

Chapter 15

For What we Believe In

* * *

The sun hangs low in the sky, having only recently climbed over the horizon. The forest below is only barely illuminated and the entire atmosphere seems tired and hesitant. At least, it would if not for the dozens of screaming students.

"Don't get your tape on me, idiot!"

"Try not to slip in Mineta's scalp blood!"

"Everyone, move! Uraraka's gonna spew!"

Their scattered calls penetrate the still air as they run around camp. Two of them are debating over something. A kid with spiky red hair and another whose hair is both red and white. Thinking about it, I can recognize them from the U.S.J. as Kirishima and Todoroki. From my distance, I can't make out what they're saying, although I can see Kirishima gesture wildly at nothing. They seem to be getting heated until

 **BANG**

The pair's argument is soon interrupted by an explosion rocketing off into the air, followed by intense howling. "Will you idiot just shut your goddamn mouths and move?!" Bakugo's voice echoes. "You're making it hard… to… concentrate!" he forces out as

 **BANG**

He fires off another explosion. The two back off simultaneously and I fidget a little as well, all of us being caught off-guard by Bakugo's intensity. I drop my binoculars as I exhale deeply, trying to relax despite his continued barking in the distance.

My sudden movement brings my attention to the aches forming due to my position, lying as flat on the ground as possible. After looking over the camp for almost 20 minutes like this, my elbows and neck have begun to cramp. I roll onto my back and roll my limbs around, still taking care to stay out of sight. My eyes bounce across this cliff area that I've been stationed at. It's the same location that I'll be taking up later tonight and I can see why. It provides an excellent vantage point and it's secluded from the camp. The closest students are still half a mile away, although that's still too close for comfort.

As I move back and look through the binoculars again, I search the camp once more. The list of those present include all of the students from Classes 1-A and 1-B, as well as the heroes Eraserhead, Vlad King, and the Wild, Wild Pussycats. Neither All Might nor any of the other teachers are present, just like the info that Toga stole said. However, I'm still here even though I've confirmed that about ten times by now. My only job was to make sure all of the information lined up so why am I still here?

The answer comes back to me again as my eyes are drawn to another explosion in the distance. Looking through the binoculars, I can see Bakugo collapse to the ground from exhaustion. He lies still for a moment before climbing back to his feet and submerging his hands back into the boiling water. My thoughts just keep wandering back to Bakugo. From Shigaraki's perspective, I can see why he would be a good pick as a potential villain. He's brash, arrogant, and an overall jerk most of the time. But I know better than anyone that he would never agree to work against heroes. I can't pretend to understand why but he's always wanted to be the Number One Hero and I don't expect the league to change that. So then, why didn't I stop Shigaraki?

Part of me wants to think that it wouldn't matter. Maybe he'd just dismiss me or maybe he'll be able to convince Bakugo anyways? Even if it fails, there will just be another plan so it won't really matter that much. But I'm sure that I know the real reason. I see it every time I think about the last time I fought with Bakugo.

I want to talk to him. I want to explain everything to him, why I'm fighting, what I want, and why I need to do this. I feel like if I can get him to understand my intentions just a little, it will somehow validate all of this. Because no matter how much work I put into my training and the League, I can't ignore this pang of regret. The fear that I made the wrong decision is always there. If I could even convince Bakugo, the one person who hates me most in the world, that I'm right then maybe I can stop doubting what I'm doing.

A pain in my hand flare up as I realize how tightly I've been holding the binoculars while I've been thinking. I exhale quietly and reach for my phone. There's no point in staying any longer when I should be getting ready for tonight. I begin to back away from the cliff and towards the extraction point, resisting the urge to look just a little more.

* * *

 _Shink shink shink_

Extend and retract. Extend and retract. Over and over, I extend the new tendrils of Impel and retract them. This process of sitting alone in my room and activating Impel has finally started to become somewhat monotonous. But after endless practice over the last two days, I'm finally adjusting to the idea of these new appendages. They have no nerves so I can't feel anything with them and they seem to be directed by my thoughts alone. However, even with All for One's guidance, I've only reached the most basic level of proficiency with them. I can't shake the fear that I may not be ready for a mission of this scale. Still, I have no choice to but to go anyways and do my best.

I stand up and give myself another look over before stepping out. There's no point in hiding my identity since I was recognized at the U.S.J. so I've decided to ditch the mask. I can't help but feel underdressed in a simple black t-shirt and baggy gray pants, with the same dark green jacket that I wore in middle school. I guess I just have to accept that I'll never be as eccentric as someone like Spinner or Twice.

As I close the door to my room, I notice the abnormal absence of any intense nervousness. Even with the fear of my inadequacy with Impel dragging me down, I feel more confident than I ever did before my previous missions. Maybe it's the fact that I've done something similar before or the knowledge that I have more capable comrades this time but I just feel better.

Once downstairs, I'm greeted by Shigaraki, obsessing over a half built card tower at the bar, and Kurogiri pacing nervously nearby. "There you are," Shigaraki starts, his attention barely being dragged from his project. "I was starting to think you were ditching us."

"Oh please, Shigaraki" Kurogiri urges as he steps forward to inspect me. "You are fully prepared, right Deku?"

"Yeah, I'm ready to go," I answer as I throw in a reassuring smile.

"That's good," Kurogiri responds. "And remember, there's no need for you to face any of the Pros. Leave them to the more experienced members and just neutralize any student that poses a threat. And try to-"

"I think he gets it, Kurogiri, so quit rambling," Shigaraki interjects. "The brat's gonna be fine. After all, he's representing the League out there," he adds derisively. "If he underperforms, our new subordinates might doubt our authority. So I'm sure Deku will pull through," he declares before returning to his card tower.

Kurogiri gives Shigaraki a disapproving look before resuming. "Well, it's almost time. You might as well be early, I suppose." He steps back and, with a wave of his hand, creates a portal in front of me. I move to walk through it but Kurogiri places a hand on my shoulder to stop me. He seems to hesitate for a moments, not saying a word for a few moments.

"We villains have our own personal ideas of justice and what is right or wrong" he says in a grave tone. "It's because of the difference in our ideals and the rest of the world's that we are labelled as criminal. There's any number of things that could go wrong tonight and you might not know what to do in the confusion. All I want is for you to stand by your beliefs and do what you believe is right."

"Kurogiri, I… I don't know-" I start, caught off guard by his sudden straightforwardness.

"I can agree with that," Shigaraki interrupts in a more genuine voice than before. He turns away from his tower and addresses me directly. "I wasn't lying when I said that I trusted you. I don't know about all those idiots but I know that you'll probably do what's best for the League. So do whatever you want and there's a good chance I'll tolerate it."

I should be happy. The two of them telling me that they can depend on me should be a source of comfort. But all I can think about is how selfish I am. They're trusting me to succeed on a mission that I know will fail. The only reason that I haven't tried to call it off is because I need validation like a little kid.

"Well, you know that I won't let you down," I answer with as much confidence as I can muster. "I guarantee that we'll come out on top tonight, no matter what."

Kurogiri nods as he releases his grip on my shoulder. Shigaraki lets out a small chuckle as I step through the gate on my own.

* * *

I emerge on the other side on a rocky path that leads to the same outlook that I inhabited before. As the gate closes behind me, I'm greeted by the brisk air of the night as a cool breeze drifts over me. The sensation provides a welcome distraction from my own thoughts. I simply don't have the luxury of contemplating everything during such a high stakes operation. So I'll just have to keep moving as planned and hope it works out.

Walking on the trail, I'm a little startled by the lack of noise. The only thing I can hear is the slight rustling of leaves which is a sharp contrast to the earlier auditory chaos. Even though this tranquil state is only temporary, it's kinda nice. I finally make it to the cliff and stare out over the edge. Just for a moment, I want to savor the peacefulness.

"Wh-who the hell are you?" a scared voice calls out, shattering that moment.

I whip around to follow the voice as my body immediately tightens. To my right, I see a small boy with a horned cap shaking. Despite my earlier searches, I don't recognize him at all. Why would some random child be running around in a hero camp? He draws back nervously as I turn to face him. His frightened demeanor tells me that he isn't equipped for what's about to happen

"Kid, I don't know what you're doing here but you need to leave now!" I command. If he doesn't disappear soon, I won't be able to control what happens next.

"Don't try to threaten me!" he yells out. "Everyone knows that I'm up here so if I'm not back soon, they're gonna come for you!"

"Then leave! Just go before-"

"Oh, what do we have here?" a sadistic voice taunts from the dark,I turn to see the masked figure of Muscular emerge from the path. He exerts a massive pressure as he strides forward. Neither me or the kid can force ourselves to answer before he continues.

"Well, damn. Looks like some brat saw something that he wasn't supposed to see," he smirks. "Can't have a snitch running around, can we?" he asks as he saunters towards the kid.

"Wait!" I exclaim with all the authority I can muster. "There's no point in getting rid of him. The plan's already in motion and one kid running around isn't gonna change anything. By the time he tells anyone about our position, we'll be long gone. So it'd just be easier to let him go." Muscular stops and, for a second, I almost believe that he's considering it.

"Yeah, but this a good warm-up anyways," he states coldly. He takes another step towards the kid.

"Y-you get away from me, freak!" he screams.

"Woah, freak seems a little harsh," Muscular responds in fake hurt tone. " But I bet it's because of this mask." He takes the mask off with a flourish. Beneath it, the right side of his face is carries a jagged scar extending over a prosthetic eye. His wound serves to exaggerate his vicious expression. For an instant, he looks inhuman. Like a monster.

"There, see?" he continues. "Now I'm a normal person, just like you."

Upon seeing his face, the kid has frozen still. "You… you're...you're the one who-" the kid forces out as he shakes with fear.

"Now then, kid, try to last a couple minutes," Muscular request as he charges towards the kid.

From what I remember from his quirk, it's some kind of body enhancement. That means that in a solo fight, I stand little to no chance. Not to mention that defeating Muscular could mean losing a huge asset to the League, all for the sake of this kid.

 _All I want is for you to stand by your beliefs and do what you believe is right_

I sprint towards the kid as well. Even though I'm closer, Muscular quickly overtakes me and skids to a stop before the kid. I desperately reach out with my hand and activate Impel. A tendril rockets forward and latches onto the kid's shirt as Muscular raises a fist to strike him.

"Arrgggh!" he screams as I retract and drag the kid across the ground. He's only moved a few inches before Muscular's hand crashes to the ground, barely missing him. He flails as Impel drags him closer until I catch him. He begins to struggle before stopping and clutching at my shirt.

"If I'm remembering correctly, it's Deku, right?" Muscular asks in a condescending tone. I don't answer. "Yeah I'm sure that's right," he continues. "Can you tell me, Deku, what the hell you're doing?"

"I said we shouldn't kill him," I answer. "So I'm not going to let you kill him."

"Well, I hope you're ready to get slaughtered," he states as he stretches his arm over his head. He's mocking me but I need the break anyways.

"Hey," I beckon to the kid gripping to my chest. "Can you tell me your name?" I ask kindly.

"It's Kota," he whimpers. The feeling of wet spots forming on my shirt tell me that he's started to cry.

"There's no need to be upset, Kota, because I'm here," I reassure him. "And I won't let you get hurt." I push him behind me as I step towards Muscular.

Immediately, I dash towards the rock wall and away from Kota in order to keep him safe. Muscular's eyes follow me and he crouches on the ground in a running stance. Discolored pink and red ribbons cover his legs for a second. In that instant, he covers the distance between us and raises his arms to strike me. Both hands swing around in an attempt to clap my ears.

With my right hand, I launch two Impel tendrils. They both strike the underside of his hands, forcing them up. Muscular claps just above my head, the deafening sound almost making me flinch. I ignore it and take the opportunity to get closer to him. While he's off guard from his attack missing, I get close and drive my elbow into his diaphragm. But instead of the underside of his ribs, I feel my strike bounce off a solid pad. It's too malleable to be armor but too strong for my charge to be effective.

Taking advantage of my confusion, Muscular drives his knee upwards. I can't get out of the way before it collides with my gut. I let out a gasp as the force lifts me into the air. Muscular continues his assault by raising his leg to kick me into the rock wall. I can barely raise my arms in defense before he strikes. I slam into the wall, with every part of my body aching from the force of the impact.

Without relenting, Muscular charges forward to pummel me further. I extend my right arm to the side and lodge an Impel tendril into the wall a few inches away. As Muscular moves to punch straight in the face, I retract the tendril. I'm immediately dragged to the spot in the wall as Muscular's fist cracks the stone where I was a second earlier. With his movement temporarily limited, I lift my leg and kick him directly in the chin. The force sends his head rocking and he seems to stagger.

I try to back up as quickly as possible. But as I pull my tendril out the wall, the force disrupts my balance and knocks me off my feet. I fall straight on my back and quickly attempt to stand again. As I try to regain my balance, Muscular begins to laugh.

"That wasn't too bad, Deku," he smirks. "But I should really stop holding back." His words make my heart drop. "You see, I'm not your average human." He clenches his fists. Like before, discolored pink and red ribbons wrap around his body and cover his entire body. He lowers himself into a sprinting stance again. "My strength," he adds, "goes way beyond someone like you."

He dashes forward, disappearing from my sight completely. I can only follow the sound of his feet crashing into the ground.

 **Crash**

To my left

 **Crash**

On the wall, farther left

 **Crash**

Behind me

I turn around just in time to see Muscular lazily raise his hand to strike me. Before I can think of what to do, he slams me to the ground. The wind is knocked out of me as I crash into the ground. Muscular just watches as I struggle desperately to breathe. Several seconds pass before I can force air into my lungs. Just as relief fills my body, Muscular drives his foot down and steps on my chest. I strike his foot over and over but it doesn't budge.

He begins to put more pressure on my chest and chuckles at my desperation. "This couldn't have gone any other way, Deku. My own skin couldn't contain my strength. What makes you think you can?"

I'm unable to answer as he pushes harder into my chest. Even so, I grit my teeth and try to think of a plan. But no matter how hard I try to focus, I can't think of anything other than the burning in my ribs.

"GAHH!" I roar aloud as I hit his leg. But once again, the impact is absorbed by the growth that surround his body.

Suddenly, the pressure lessens and I feel a few drops of water hit my face. Muscular is drenched and, by following his gaze, I can see Kota with water dripping from his hands.

"Get away!" Kota cries out as he sprays more water in Muscular's face.

"Ha! What're you gonna do, drown me?"he laughs aloud.

I can almost understand where Kota is coming from. For a physical beasts like Muscular, cutting off air supply would be the best way to win. But Kota is clearly not developed enough to do that and I don't have any method to even try.

Or do I?

I carefully raise my hand and extend a tendril towards Muscular's leg. As expected, the ribbons are organic so once it makes contact, I activate Impel. I can experience the raw power flowing through me, the ability to manipulate my strength as I please. I focus all of it on the throat, urging the muscles to grow without end.

"Aaa, aaaah, aaaaaaaah," Muscular groans as he clenches his throat. He instinctively begins to back away, taking his foot off of my chest. I begin to breathe easily but I keep the tendril on him.

"You've probably noticing the clump in your throat by now," I start. "That would be a group of your muscles blocking your airway."

"Aaaaaaaaaahhaag" Muscular continues to struggle, his nails digging into his neck in an attempt to free it. He's panicking too much to notice the suspicious tendril digging into his leg. In his desperation, he begins to grow his arm muscles more in order to free his airway.

"Muscle have blood too, you know," I continue. "That means that they require oxygen as well, oxygen you can't keep providing."

Realizing his mistake, Muscular returns his arms to normal but continues to claw at his neck. His fingers clench and his toes curl as he starts to spasm. His expression has become manic as he gasps "W-why?"

"Because, no matter what you believe in, a child should be off-limits," I answer. "Anyone that would be willing to go that far doesn't have a place in the League."

Muscular reaches his hand towards me, as if to strike me again. It shakes in mid air before falling limply to his side.

* * *

 **Deku did not kill Muscular.**

 **He's just unconscious and I couldn't think of a way to express that without breaking the flow of this chapter. And I wouldn't want to make you guys think he was murdered for the two weeks it would take me to correct that. So don't worry, the story didn't suddenly become super dark out of nowhere.**

 **That out of the way, I loved being able to write a fight again. Trying to think of all the little motions and creative ways to use Imepl is a blast. I don't think it would be unreasonable to say that the next eight or so chapters are gonna be action packed so you can look forward to that.**

 **Also, sorry for this being late. A combination of writer's block and life being crazy held me up. I should be able to return to a two week schedule, barring another catastrophe. It's difficult but I'll do my best.**

 **Like always, feel free to tell me what you thought about the chapter. I put a lot of effort into it in order to justify the wait so I hope it shows. If you want to share your thoughts, don't hesitate to write a review or PM me. Thanks again for reading this far.**

 **See ya.**


	16. Update

**Sorry if it's a disappointment but this is an update, not a new chapter.**

 **I'm sure that sucks to see but I don't know what else to do. Chapter 16 should be out within a week but I have to level with you guys.**

 **I feel like I'm forcing myself to write new chapters. Like it's an essay that my grade is depending on instead of a way to express some cool ideas that I had. Writing VD was really fun at one point but now I feel like it's something that I have to do. Like a chore.**

 **I don't want to make it seem like you guys are pressuring me. I've just been holding myself to standards that I knew I couldn't meet. Forcing myself to write more consistently does not match my lazy personality at all and I should've seen that coming.**

 **I am not going to stop writing. I've said it before but I'd sooner die than stop writing. But I think it's time to admit that I am a very weak person and stop trying to commit to tighter schedules. From here on, one new chapter every month at the bare minimum. I think that's the best way to keep me from slipping in quality or getting burnt out. I'm well aware that this is a terrible compromise that completely screws you guys over but I can't do any better.**

 **In the meantime, I'm probably gonna expand my bio a bit. I'd like to explain a bit more about myself so I'm more than that author guy who's super lazy. If you have anything specific you'd like to know, feel free to PM questions.**

 **If I'm honest, I really hope that I don't get a lot of messages or reviews telling me that "I should take all the time I need." I should be better than this but I'm just not. I hear so many people tell me how badly they want new chapters and it hurts to disappoint them and to disappoint you. But I just gotta. I'd be thankful if you stuck with me anyways.**

 **See ya.**


	17. Chapter 16- Evil Isn't the Right Word

Chapter 16

Evil Isn't the Right Word

* * *

It hurts. Every breath pounds against my ribs like a hammer. My eyesight falls in and out of focus. I can only hold my balance for a second before falling to knees. I breathe deeply, despite the pain, in an effort to calm down.

"Hey, are you okay?"Kota asks, rushing to my side. He places his hands on my shoulders as support which I gladly accept.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," I answer. "I just need to, _hah_ , take a second to, _hah_ , breathe," I gasp out.

Standing upright again, my eyes start to focus as I can see a body lying before us. Muscular's unconscious position almost looks tiny compared to the powerful frame that was just threatening us.

"Is he...d-dead?" Kota stammers out.

"Of course not," I reassure him. "He's just unconscious from the temporary lack of oxygen." As if to confirm my claims, a deep gasp fills the air as Muscular's chest rises and falls. His uneven breaths are a harsh reminder of how temporary this victory is. If I remember correctly, it only takes minutes for most people to regain consciousness.

"Kota, we should leave now. Do you know the way down from here?" I ask, fighting to keep my voice calm.

He's caught off guard for a moment before pointing behind us. "I-it's over here," he says with a trace of panic still coursing through him. He runs towards a steep rocky path and I follow close behind.

Each step down the uneven trail sends another jolt of pain through my chest. Even so, I can feel a certain lightness to my step as I jump from rock to rock. The ecstatic feeling of saving someone, defeating a much stronger opponent, and still being alive did as much to numb the pain as the adrenaline. It reminded me of playing Hero with Mom and that childlike pride in a job well done.

The trail begins to flatten out as the loose rock path turns to dirt and grass. Kota slows to a stop as he looks around, unsure of what to do next. I want to escort him to somewhere safe, a place where he won't have to worry about the other League members attacking him. After what Muscular did, I can't be sure that any of them wouldn't go that far. However, any safe place would inevitably mean confronting some Pros. I still have a mission to see through and I can't risk capture.

"Kota, I need you to listen to me very carefully," I start, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Follow this cliffside for as long as you can and when you reach the end of it, head directly towards the lodge," I point at the lodge lights that just barely break through the treeline. This path goes straight through the area that me and Muscular were guarding so it should be the safest from any other members. "Just keep going and don't stop for anyone that you don't recognize, okay?" I ask.

He nods hesitantly. "Okay," he answers with tears in his eyes. He's so afraid that he can barely stand but I'm sure that he'll be able to make it. He turns to run away before stopping.

"Um, what's your name?" Kota asks.

Deku is the first thing that comes to mind but I don't think that would be the right thing to say. "It's Midoriya," I respond.

"Well, Mr. Midoriya," he starts before hesitating. He clutches his hands like he's nervous to keep going. He takes a deep breath and boldly demands, "Are you evil too?"

I don't answer as I have to honestly think about what to say. Kota takes my silence as an opportunity to continue.

"Because I know that bastard up there is evil and he seemed to know you and it sounded like you guys were gonna attack everyone else and you sound like evil people," he starts with his anger building and building after every word before dropping off into a timid tone. "But you saved me. You fought him for me and you got hurt because you were helping me." He begins to choke up as he asks, "Why would an evil person do that?"

He looks at me for a response as tears begin to well in his eyes. Without thinking, I respond, "Do you think anybody wants to be evil?". Kota looks confused as I go on.

"Nobody actually wants to be evil. Everyone is just trying to do what they think is right. But it just so happens that some people's definitions of right are different from the majority's. I guess that I'd be one of those people. You and I probably have different ideals too." I place my hand on his head.

"But even though you and I don't agree, I would never want you to get hurt. Because you're just doing what you think is best. We all are. So there's really no point in contemplating large-scale morality at a time like this. For now, I'll just do what I think is right and think about that stuff later."

Kota doesn't say anything in return. Instead, he brushes my hand away from him and starts to run in the direction that I pointed out. It's a disappointing reaction but I shouldn't expect anything more from a kid who's probably been raised to hate me. Just as I turn away to regroup with the others, I hear Kota's voice from behind me.

"Mr. Midoriya!" he calls. I spin back to face him.

"Thank you for saving me! Even if you are evil, you're still not a bad guy!"

I can't think of anything to say so I just give him the widest grin that I can manage. He smiles in return before turning back and running out of sight. As we both resume our solitary journeys, I can't help but notice that the pain in my chest has been replaced by a warm sense of satisfaction.

* * *

At first, running through the forest is a major problem. The lack of any decent light source makes every outstretched root a hazard as I sprint in the approximate direction of the closest League members, Dabi and Twice. My vague memory of the map is a poor guide as I stumble through the darkness until a blue light breaks through the trees. Following the pale light to its strongest point, the sound of arguing voices grows louder as I approach.

"Hey man, why do I have to make your stupid clone?" a coy Twice demands. "Are you just too lazy to do it yourself?"

"You have to do it because that's your quirk, dumbass," Dabi responds in an irritated tone. "And would you just do it already? We're gonna have more Pros on our ass soon if-". He suddenly pauses as I break through the trees to the small clearing where the pair is bickering.

Before I can say a word, Dabi raises his hand in my direction as a blue flame sparks on his fingers. The fire grows brighter as (don't know what to put here). I turn all of my forward momentum sideways and dive to the ground as a burst of fire runs past me. The pain in my chest reawakens as I drop facedown to the ground. Dabi's hand follows me as the tips of his fingers start to glow again.

"Relax, it's me!" I cry, raising my head from the dirt.

A quiet "Oh," escapes Dabi's mouth as he lowers his hand. "My bad," he adds.

"Hold on just a moment," Twice boldy demands. "How do we know you're not an imposter?"

"Because, Twice, the only person in this whole forest that can shapeshift is Toga." I respond dryly as I drag my body off the ground. Looking around, I recognize the source of light as more of Dabi's flames. They've begun to consume the forest, with the tree closest to Dabi fully engulfed by fire. They cast a pale light on all of our faces and the mix of smoke and ash in the air is suffocating.

"That's what you think," he responds, "but with a bit of makeup, I can make a pretty convincing lady."

"Speaking of making people, Twice, how about that clone?" Dabi asks sardonically.

"Ugh, fine. You're so needy, man." Twice raises his hands dramatically before abruptly stopping. "Hey, would you guys mind looking away for a few seconds?" he asks. "I get performance anxiety."

Dabi gives Twice an apathetic look before turning around with a sigh. I follow suit, keeping my gaze away from Twice as he works. Just as I start to wonder how long this is going to take, Twice starts clapping. "Okay, I'm done," he states.

Looking back reveals Twice standing next to an exact copy of Dabi. Everything from the facial structure to the scars and stitches is perfectly replicated. The clone looks around with a lazy look in his eyes. His apathy is an exact match for Dabi's.

"Alright buddy, go do stuff," Twice commands as he points away from the student lodge.

"That's... the exact opposite way, Twice," I say.

"God, you're an idiot," the clone mutters as he runs in the correct direction.

The three of us watch as he quickly disappears into the darkness of the forest. "That should be our cue to move," Dabi adds, moving towards an open path in the fire. "I still gotta torch a few more trees so we can corner these brats."

"I'll scout ahead!" Twice yells as he sprints past both of us into the trees.

"Of all the dumbasses to get stuck with," Dabi whispers under his breath.

The two of us move quietly through the forest, Dabi in the lead a few feet ahead. The trail barely illuminated by the pale glow of his flame as they dance around his hands. Fire crackling and popping and trees collapsing in the distance are the only sound in the air. I'm not sure if that's because we're too far from the lodge to hear the chaos or the students haven't realized what's happening yet. Either way, the atmosphere is far too subdued considering how extreme the situation should be.

"So, what the hell are doing here anyways?" Dabi asks, breaking the silence. "You're supposed to be surveying up with the big guy, right?" He doesn't bother to look back at me while he speaks.

"If you're talking about Muscular, I was forced to take him out," I respond nonchalantly.

"Is that so?" he answers with a similarly indifferent tone. "This question might be redundant in a group of psychos like this but why?"

"He attacked me first. He claimed that he planned to kill me and Shigaraki and take control of the League. So I had to eliminate the threat."

"Is it as simple as that? Would you get rid of anyone that got in the League's way?" he asks, this time actually taking the trouble to look back at me.

"Of course I would," I reply in the same casual voice.

Dabi pauses before stating "Well, I'd expect at least that from someone that the Hero Killer saw as worthwhile," and turning his gaze back to the trail.

Once I'm sure that he isn't looking this way anymore, I breath a quiet sigh of relief. It's so hard to act cool! I knew he would ask something like this so I thought of a proper response while I was trying to find the two of them. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to pull of the casual voice but I think I did okay.

My fight with Muscular made me realize something. I'd tricked myself into thinking that a smaller League would mean that the members would be more united but that was wrong. We all have radically different ideas that motivate us and it might not be long until that puts us at conflict with each other. In this group of killers, I'm the odd one out so I'll need to play along in order to keep the League calm. I can't help but wonder how long I can keep it up. What do I do the next time someone needs saving?

* * *

Dabi and I continue to make our way through the forest, Dabi taking the occasional pot shot at a nearby tree. After only a few minutes of walking, an odd scent begins to fill the air. It's a sweet smell, different from the smoke of burning wood.

"We must not be far from Mustard's gas," I say out loud, covering my face as a precaution.

"Then this must be where my job ends," Dabi replies as he takes aim and scorches another group of trees. He lets out a yawn as he continues, "I should probably ask Twice about how my clone is doing."

Dabi carelessly calls out "Twice! Where the hell are you, you lazy bastard?" into the night. For a moment, there's no response. Then, the foliage behind Dabi begins to rustle. The black and grey of Twice's costume breaks through the darkness as he trudges forward.

It's not right. Twice typically goes through a thousand moods a day but he's always energetic nonetheless. However, he's just stumbling forth lifelessly like a zombie.

"Attack him," whispers a voice in the darkness.

Twice shudders for a second before charging forwards. Dabi can't react before Twice drives an elbow into his face, knocking him off his feet. As Dabi falls to the ground, Twice takes the opportunity to wrap his hands around Dabi's throat. Dabi starts to grimace as his grip tightens.

I dash forwards and grab Twice's shoulders. Immediately, Dabi lets out a gasp and I notice Twice's fingers loosen almost completely. Taking the chance, I pull Twice off and throw him on the ground.

"Wha- what just happened?" Twice asks in a bewildered tone.

"That's a poor choice of last words," Dabi answers with murder in his voice as his hand starts to burn with a pale light.

"Dabi, give me a minute!" I demand, desperately trying to drag his hands from their intended target. "What happened to you, Twice?"

"I- I don't know?" he stammers out. "Someone in the forest asked me what my name was and just as I started to answer, the world went dark. Like I was sleepwalking except I didn't pee myself this time."

"So, somebody was able to control you," I think out loud. " I don't recall there being a student with a quirk like that and none of the Pros could do that either."

"You guys seem stumped," a voice calls from the forest. I recognize it's scratchy tone as the same one that commanded Twice to attack. From it's source, a teenager with wild purple hair steps out of the treeline. His face is accented by dark bags under his eyes and a general look of self importance. "Didn't expect to be so thoroughly outclassed, huh?"

"For your Information, brat," Dabi starts as he picks himself off the ground, "all you've managed to do is-". He suddenly stops, his eyes having gone blank. Before I can ask him what's wrong, Dabi's hand starts to glow again as he raises it towards my face.

For the second time tonight, I find myself diving to the ground to dodge a burst of flame that licks my back as it passes over. Unlike before, the stream of fire is constant as Dabi drags his hand towards my landing spot. I'm forced to scramble to my feet and spring in order to outrun the blaze that chases me.

"Dabi, wake up!" I cry as I point my finger at him. I activate Imepl and launch an appendage directly at his face. It strikes him square between the eyes and, just like with Twice, the effect is immediate. Dabi's eyes slide back into focus as the fire spouting from his hand starts to fade. "Wh-what the hell did I do?" he asks himself.

With Dabi back to normal, I turn my attention back to the student. Despite the confident smirk that he's wearing, I can see the fear in his eyes. He seems to understand that I've realized that touch is the only way to break his hold on people. But I'm still not sure how he does it. If he was able to control anyone of us on a whim than he would just keep taking control again and again. And if he could, why would he bother to show himself? It's like he's taunting us to get a response. A response.

That's it.

"Don't answer him!" I call out. "He'll control you the second you respond." It's only a hypothesis and it could be wrong. But the sudden panic that seeps into the student's expression tells me that I'm right.

"You must be desperate if you're flailing for answers like that," he responds, trying to save face. "I'd expect nothing less from a bunch of second-rate criminals."

This time, Dabi doesn't fall for it. Silently, he gives the student a condescending look as he points a finger gun at him. The tips of finger start to burn once again. Genuine fear fills the student's eyes as he turns and runs. He's barely reached the tree line before the flames crash into the forest. The air is filled with smoke and the sound of wood snapping as the area is lit up with a hazy blue. My skin tightens when I notice how Dabi gazes at the inferno with a proud look in his eyes as the fire consumes everything.

"Pretty sure we call that overkill," Twice jokes. The sick feeling in my stomach would agree as I imagine that poor guy's painful last moments. But the tight knot loosens as I notice a spot of purple moving through the smoke.

"You two should move on and support Spinner and Magne while I look for the others," I request.

"Others?" Dabi asks.

"If one student is out this far, then there's a chance that some other students came with him. Might as well be thorough and check the whole area."

Dabi digests it for a second before shrugging. "Whatever you say. Just don't get your ass kicked," he adds as he turns and starts walking in the direction of the student lodge.

"Thanks for the save, Deku," Twice calls out as he races to catch up with Dabi.

I wait until they've fully disappeared from view to run towards the last spot where I saw the student. He's probably hurt but if he's still moving around then he can be saved. Walking around I can see the flames go farther than a few trees into the forest. There's no clear path behind the fire so I'm forced to walk in the same direction that he seemed to be moving. I move slowly and quietly as the light from the fire grows dimmer and dimmer behind me.

My caution proves to unnecessary as I soon find the student leaning against a tree in plain sight. He seems to have escaped Dabi's attack with no massive injuries and only a few burns travelling down his right side. I stop trying to hide myself as I approach, not wanting to imply that I'm attacking him. With the _snap_ of a stick beneath my foot, the student turns to face me.

"You,' he starts, his voice tired and breathless. "Did you come here to finish me?". I open my mouth to respond before remembering his quirk and slamming it shut.

"Well, I don't care," he mutters quietly as he leans down. His left hand flails at the ground until his fingers find a thick, fallen tree branch. "I can't let myself be stopped by trash like you!" he roars, charging forward.

The wild look in his eyes tells me that he's fighting off instinct. He's tilted to his left side, probably because he's right handed and is unused to fighting with his non dominant hand. With such a powerful quirk, there's a good chance that he's unused to close combat in a scenario like this.

Keeping this mind, I'm calm when he swings the branch at me. I move closer, within a few inches of him so that the branch strikes the empty air behind me. At this distance, all it takes is a swift kick to the leg to send him tumbling forward. I get out of the way of his fall with a quick sidestep. Then, I drive my elbow into the back of his head and use all my weight to slam it into the ground.

The student can barely let out a gasp as he collides face first with solid ground. He begins to raise his head before falling to the ground, his body too exhausted to continue. I flip him over and check his head for damage. There's a gash above his right eye from the impact but other than that, he doesn't look seriously hurt. I can't speak for internal damage so I can only hope that I didn't go too far in trying to pacify him.

"S-s-stop right there!" calls a quivering yet eccentric voice. I turn to see another student covered in leaves emerge from the foliage. It's surprising that I didn't see him considering his bright blond hair and the aura of fear that emanates from him. His legs are quivering, he's on the verge of tears, and he's trying to thrust his pelvis at me as a threat.

"M-monsieur, you'd better step away from him or else!" the student demands.

"You're this guy's classmate, right?" I ask, doing my best to stay serious.

"Oui," he responds.

"Good, then you should take care of him." I get to my feet and start to walk away. "He needs to get that cut bandaged up."

"Wait," the student protests, "you are a villain, no? Why would you just leave us alone?" His posture has relaxed as his curiosity has overwhelmed his fear.

"Well, are either of you gonna chase after me?" I ask plainly.

"Um, no," he replies.

"Then I've done what I had to do, fight the enemy and get them out of our way. So there isn't really any reason to fight anymore, is there?" I don't give the student the time to ask anymore questions as I run back into the forest. All I can do is hope that he'll be able to protect his classmate through the rest of the night.

I keep my ears as open as possible as I travel in roughly the same direction that Dabi and Twice did. That student's presence confirmed my idea that some students may already be on the move. Whether they're escaping or trying to hunt down us villains, they're a problem either way. Just as that thought crosses my mind, I hear loud footsteps somewhere in front of me. I break my forward momentum and ready myself to attack the first thing that moves. A dark shape emerges from behind a tree and I almost activate Impel before recognizing their black and grey attire.

"Hello, Twice," I start off, the tension in my body quickly giving way to a slight sense of frustration. "Weren't you going with Dabi?"

"Nah," he answers casually. "I got the feeling that he was really pissed. He kept stepping on flowers and burning their remains. Figured that it was safer with you than him. So, did you find anybody?"

"Uh, no. There wasn't anybody nearby," I respond, lying through my teeth. "Although, that reminds me, how's Dabi's clone doing? The one you sent to fight the teachers?"

"Oh, that guy got his ass kicked a while ago."

"What?! Then make another one!" I yell. "We'll get overrun if the teachers and the Pros regroup."

"Chill, it's all taken care of," Twice answers in a relaxed tone. "The big boss guy is taking care of him."

"Shigaraki?" I ask spectically. Shigaraki wanted to make himself look more commanding by not coming. Why would he be here?

"No, the other boss. You know, the stabby one," Twice adds.

I think for a moment before replying. "Stain?"

* * *

 **One of my favorite things about the League is that they're all a bunch of lunatics so it makes writing dialogue much more enjoyable. Especially Twice since he's such a moron. Speaking of Twice, I have absolutely no idea how he makes the clones of people because it is never shown. I spent at least 20 minutes staring at the screen, thinking of a way to describe the process and I got absolutely nothing. So, sorry if that's kinda lame.**

 **I'm also excited to bring Stain back since he's such an important part of the story. And he's just plain cool. Thinking about the fight that I have planned for him made me realize that I've never written a fight with a weapon before so that's a new opportunity.**

 **Just to clarify from my update, I can no longer stick to a strict 2 week schedule but just because the schedule has stretched to a month doesn't mean that you have to wait 4 weeks for a new chapter. It just means that I'll write a new chapter within a month at least. The uploads will probably be much closer to 3 weeks or faster. That's still not great but it's the best that I can do right now.**

 **Lastly, I want to profoundly thank everyone for the support that I received after the update. I can't express how grateful I am without sounding incredibly corny but I appreciate it so much. I'm sorry if I made it seem like I'm not happy writing for you guys. I love writing but it just gets tough sometimes. I might be forced to take a short break every once in a while but it's good to know that there'll always be somebody waiting for me. I hope you stick around.**

 **See ya.**


	18. Chapter 17- What Should a Hero Do?

Chapter 17

What Should a Hero Do?

* * *

It's quiet. The only sound in the room is the scratch of chalk on the board and the ticking of the clock, a painful reminder of how slowly time is passing. I try to put all of my focus on the equations that I'm copying on the board and ignoring the bored sighs of the children behind me.

"Come on, Aizawa sensei, can't we take a break for at least five minutes?" Kaminari requests in a tired tone. "We're already missing out on the test of courage so why do you have to torture us with math too?"

"I'm 'torturing' you because you failed your exams," I respond, my patience clearly at it's breaking point. "You only have yourself to blame for not properly preparing for the finals so I suggest that you shut up and accept the extra help that me and Vlad are so graciously offering."

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Vlad nodding vehemently. A look of dissatisfaction passes the students' faces before their gazes return to their notes. My attention returns to the board a sI continue to copy equations when...

"Everyone! We're under attack by villains!"

Mandalay's voice rings in my head, her panicked tone digging into my nerves. The bored atmosphere of the room turns to one of fear as the students begin to panic.

"Did she say villains?" Mina asks aloud.

"Is this just part of some practical test?" Sero questions.

"Quiet!" Vlad's booming voice silences the kids as Mandalay continues.

"There appears to be at least two attackers, although it's likely that there's many more. Everyone needs to get back to the lodge as soon as possible! Do not engage!". Even at her level of professionalism, she can't keep a steady voice as she speaks. I don't like to think about what could've happened to unnerve her so much.

"Vlad, you stay here and watch the kids," I start. "Keep an eye out for any students that arrive and I'll work on finding the stragglers.

"You can count on me, Aizawa," he declares as I burst out of the room and into the hallway. I try to put all of my energy into running towards the building's exit but I can't stop my mind from wandering.

How many are there? Why are they here? How did they find us? I repeat the same questions over and over in my mind as I race through the halls. Before all of that, I need to take care of my students. Finding them and getting them out of harm's way is the only thing that matters right now. I turn a corner quickly, my momentum almost knocking em off my own feet, as I make my way outside of the student lodge. A few sharp turns later and I'm almost at the exit. But it's not right.

Instead of the warm glow of the building's exterior lamps, a pale blue light illuminates the door's window. I swing the door open, only to be greeted by the sight of blue flames dancing across the treeline. The air is filled with the odor of smoke and the sound of the fire crackling. I can't believe that the villains have done this much damage in the minute that's passed since I received Mandalay's message. The true danger of the situation sets in and I lose focus for just one second.

"A teacher that cares about his students is way too predictable."

The voice comes from my left. I turn to face the source, only to see an open palm lazily facing my direction. As smoke begins to curl from the fingertips, I realize that he must be the cause of all the fires. A normal dodge won't be enough against destructive power like that so I throw my scarf at the balcony above me. It wraps tightly around the railing as I leap upwards, using my arms to rise faster. Just in time, as an intense heat passes beneath my back as I position myself above my assailant.

The first thing that stands out about him is the patchwork nature of his skin. His body is covered with dark, scarred skin held together by a rushed stitch job. His black attire and hair tell me that he's an odd one as does the superior look in his eyes.

"I guess that you Pros are a different breed from your typical alley scum," he starts as he raises his hand in my direction again. Before he can attack, I lock my eyes on him and activate my quirk. I feel the familiar sensation of my hair suspending as a look of surprise crosses the villain's face. Before he regains his rhythm, I throw the other end of my scarf and wrap it around his leg.

A quick tug sends him stumbling backwards, leaving his torso wide open. I launch downwards with all of my strength and drive my elbow directly into his gut. As the villain collides with the ground, I use my other hand to bounce off of him and land on stable ground. My hair momentarily falls as I give my eyes a quick rest before turning around and activating my quirk again.

The villain stumbles to his feet and notices the scarf still wrapped around his leg. With a confidant look on his face, he thrusts his leg forward in an effort to unbalance me. I give the end more slack and he pulls the scarf forward with no resistance. With the extra length that he just added, I swing the scarf around to run over his chest and shoulder. Before he can unwrap himself, I yank hard and pull him in closer.

He pivots and faces his hand towards me in another desperate attack but under the effect of my Erasure, he can't even produce a puff of smoke. I use the loose scarf around my neck to wrap around his arm. I duck under his elbow as his momentum carries him past me. With scarf still in hand, I send my foot directly into his back. The power of the kick is matched by the force of me pulling on his arm. For a moment, the villain struggles as he's forced in two directions before…

"AAGHHH!"

A violent cry fills the air and is highlighted by a _pop_ as his shoulder is jerked loose from it's socket. Confident that he's on the verge of surrendering, I relax my guard and deactivate my quirk. Blue flames immediately sprout from the villain's free hand as he twists around wildly, reaching for me. I loosen the grip around his arm and dash backwards. He follows my lead and stumbles backwards, clutching his dislocated shoulder.

"You should understand by now that you have no chance against me," I start, "so why don't you give me the information that I need? If you talk fast, I might consider keeping the damage temporary."

"Heh heh," he chuckles while wincing at the pain. "I didn't think that you'd be this scary. Tell me, are those the threats of a teacher that's concerned about his students or a Pro that's pissed about the fact that he got outplayed?"

"You're running out of chances to tell me what I want to know," I respond, keeping a cool tone despite the anger that's beginning to rise inside me.

"All you need to know is that you're screwed," he answers coyly. "The Vanguard Action Squad is on a completely different level than the trash you fought at USJ. And if you thought your students were in danger back then, you really don't want to think about what's gonna happen to them tonight."

The frustration in me boils over. I charge forward with Erasure already activated. The villain doesn't even attempt to raise a hand before I close the distance and punch him square in the diaphragm. I prepare myself to follow up as the air is knocked out of him but instead of solid flesh, my fist bores through what feels like mud.

I look down at my hand to see it driven straight through to the other side as his body begins to transform into some clay-like substance and drip to the ground. Even with Erasure activated, I'm unable to stop him as he begins to melt into the ground with a smug look.

"Before you try to save your students, you should really be concerned with watching your own ass. Especially when it comes to him," he mocks as his expression fades away into the dirt. I frantically thrust my hands into the ground to try to hold on to some scrap of him but his body quickly becomes indistinguishable from the rest of the earth.

"Damn it," I whisper to myself. He was my best chance for information but he somehow managed to slip through my fingers. It must be the work of one of his comrades' quirks but I can't contemplate that now. My first instinct tells me to start searching for the kids but I'm hung up on something. The villain warned that I was in as much danger as the students so, even though it might be a bluff, I can't risk doing anything reckless.

I start to run towards the forest, using my concern to mask my suspicion. As I approach the treeline, my eyes dart around the area in search of any sign of an ambush. There's an uneasy shake in my body even though I'm sprinting. I haven't felt anxiety like this since I was a rookie.

Suddenly, I shudder as a wave of bloodlust washes over me, The small tremor of fear almost transforms into an outright convulsion, like there's a snake coiling around my neck. Fighting the terror, I turn to my right just in time to see a flash of metal heading straight for me. I can barely dive to the ground as I feel a knife graze my shoulder before flying past me. I rise back to my feet quickly in order to meet my new opponent.

"I'm glad, Eraserhead," a threatening voice starts from the forest. "A hero of your renown would have to be capable of avoiding a simple sneak attack like that in order to be worth a damn." The voice's owner drops from the branch of a tree onto the ground. From his damaged combat armor, multiple blades, and his tattered mask and scarf, it's easy to recognize him from the descriptions I've read. Stain the Hero Killer. With a monster like him on the field, I'll just have to trust the students while I deal with him.

"I heard that you were the idealistic type," I call out in an attempt to keep him busy, "so how does murdering children factor into your crusade?"

"Don't misunderstand the reason why I'm here," he answers. "I could care less about Shigaraki's plans for that student. For me, this is a rare opportunity to test some U.A. teachers. I'd like to know if the next generation of heroes are being raised by a bunch of damn frauds."

"I don't have time for your pretentious excuses!" I yell back. "My duty is to protect those kids and I don't care if I have to go through you to reach them!" I charge forward with Erasure at the ready.

Stain throws me a wicked smile before reaching to his back and drawing a chipped katana. He dashes forward as well and swings the blade at my chest. I drop closer to the ground without falling as the sword cuts through the air above me. Now within close quarters range, I throw an uppercut from down below at Stain's jaw. He jerks his head to the side and lets my fist sail past his face.

With his left hand off the sword, he reaches for one of the knives strapped to his chest. I quickly drive my knee into his gut, forcing him to use his free hand to block the attack. I begin to reach for my scarf in order to restrain him but Stain notices and bashes his skull directly into my nose. The taste of iron fills my mouth as I stumble backwards from the force of the blow.

Stain wastes no time as he grasps his katana with both hands and goes in for another slice. I grab my scarf and launch it into a tree branch that's extended above me. It wraps around the branch tightly as Stain's blade approaches. I jump and pull at the same time to heave myself into the air, letting Stain's attack whiff through thin air.

Without missing a beat, Stain draws one of the knives from his chest and hurls it at the space above me. Unable to defend myself, I throw the other end of the scarf at a branch farther off as the knife swiftly severs the line supporting me. As the scarf wraps around the other branch, I fall closer to Stain. He looks at me with sadistic pleasure as plummet towards his waiting sword. Suddenly, I feel the scarf tighten around the branch. I yank hard and pull myself away from the villain but not before he swipes at me and slashes into my chest.

As I land on safe ground, I trace the wound with my finger. The dark crimson shade of the blood mixed with the relatively small amount tells me that my injury might be dangerous but it isn't life threatening yet. I snap myself into a battle stance, ready to continue the battle, but Stain doesn't reciprocate.

He chuckles to himself silently as he drags his finger along his katana. "The fight's changed now, Eraserhead," he declares. "You're no longer fighting to win. Now, you're trying to survive."

I don't have the time to answer before the villain licks the edge of his blade. My initial confusion is overwhelmed by a loss of control in my entire body. I start to fall to the ground as my legs can no longer be bothered to support me. Instinctually, I activate Erasure while doing my best to keep my eyes on Stain. Immediately, the strength in my body returns and I'm able to stop myself from collapsing.

The look of pleasure on Stain's face doesn't break as he charges towards me. Without breaking his stride, he draws another knife and tosses it at me. I grab my scarf and it stretch it in front of me, using it to catch the blade. I quickly remove it and throw it right back at Stain's legs as he gets close. He hops to the side to dodge, giving me the opportunity to dash behind him. With his back unguarded, I plant my foot firmly into his spine and send flat to the ground. He rolls on the ground and is quick to hop back to his feet.

With him a few meters away, I allow myself to relax for an instant and blink. Immediately, that weak sensation in my body returns as I'm unable to stand upright. I activate Erasure and return to a fighting position, the true danger of the situation becoming apparent.

"You understand now, don't you?" Stain asks. "How desperate this battle is on your end? Your abilities can only save you from my quirk for a little while. Eventually, you'll run out of stamina and you won't even have the strength to open your eyes."

I struggle to maintain a bold face despite the unease that's settled into my body. He's completely right. If anything, the end is even closer because of my injuries from the USJ incident. Even if we're equal in martial skill, I won't even be able to move soon. I need to finish him before my eyes can dry out and his quirk defeats me. I ready myself to charge into the fray again when…

"RRAAAAGGHHH!" an animalistic roar echoes through the night. Even Stain seems shaken by the sudden outburst, as if he didn't know one of his comrades was capable of that. The villain continues to keep his focus on me but his darting glance indicates that he's interested in the source of the cry as well.

Our curiosity doesn't go unsatisfied for long as both of us notice a powerful impact shake the cliff where the voice seemed to come from followed by a large shape flying through the sky. Following his trajectory, he seems to be aiming for directly in front of the lodge where we are. I risk succumbing to paralysis in order to dive away and protect myself. Only a second goes by before a large mass crashes into the earth, creating a shockwave that blows me off the ground.

I go flying before crashing into a tree and sliding to the ground. The blow is enough to dizzy me as my sight goes blurry. With a cloud of dust swirling around the landing site, I'm unable to see Stain and cancel his quirk. I'm left to lie with half my face in the dirt as I wait for the debris to settle.

The cloud slowly disperses to reveal a strong looking, blonde man with a nasty scar travelling down his face. Seeing his face stirs up the memory of talking to Mandalay about her brother's Pro Hero team, Water Horse. His appearance matches that of the man who killed the team and had his eye ripped out. There appears to be several pink reddish ribbons contracting into his body after the landing. The villain glances around with a look of anger on his face. His eyes finally fix themselves on Stain who's only now approaching after the crash.

"I thought that your post was up on that cliff, Muscular," Stain starts. As he steps into view, I activate Erasure and start to pick myself up off the ground.

"Well, things changed," Muscular answers, his voice still shaking with anger. "Do you know where that little bastard Deku is?"

"Why are you looking for him?" Stain fires back in an accusatory tone. This might be the first sign of infighting between the League members. Instead of getting to my feet, I sit myself against the tree I hit before deactivating my quirk and giving my eyes a break. The longer that they distract themselves, the more recovery time I have.

"The brat went and betrayed me," Muscular declares, rubbing his throat gingerly. "So I need to find him and beat the shit out of him for it."

Stain hesitates before answering "Well, I saw where he went. Help me finish this Pro and we can hunt him down afterwards."

"Fine by me," Muscular responds. "I've gotta beat someone into a pulp soon or else I'm gonna lose it." He begins to stagger towards me. I activate my quirk again and rise to my feet. I can already feel the strain in my eyes as I get ready to defend myself. Muscular raises his fist and leans in to charge.

In an instant, a flash of metal dances under Muscular's arm. He doesn't even realize what's happened until crimson blood bursts from his skin and drips across the side of his torso.

"GAAAGGH!" he cries aloud, desperately clasping at the wound in order to stem the bleeding. His attention quickly drifts to Stain with his katana fully drawn and dripping red. "You son of a bitch! What the hell are you doing?"

"It's simple," Stain answers nonchalantly as he advances on Muscular. "The only reason that Deku would attack would be if you were doing something that he couldn't accept. And if that kid wouldn't accept then you can be damn sure that I won't allow it."

Muscular backs up as Stain continues to move in closer. With the tension so quickly having turned to them and excluding me, my focus is broken and I blink. Muscular is the first to realize that he can use his quirk as more reddish ribbons from before extend from his body. They wrap around him like armor as he crouches down and charges at Stain.

The Hero Killer reaches to lick the area of his blade drenched in blood but Muscular's speed forces him to jump out of the way. Muscular stumbles a bit as he misses before pivoting around and dashing towards Stain again. This time, Stain doesn't dodge and opts to slice straight down his opponents chest. The sword carves through the fibers surrounding him but it fails to draw blood.

Muscular takes advantage of Stain's close proximity and attempts to grab him both arms. Stain leans back to avoid his grasp but is caught off guard by Muscular swinging his leg around into his side. He can't block it as the force send the Hero Killer flying into the lodge wall. He collides with building with a hard crash, fracturing the wooden structure's walls. For a moments, he doesn't move. A proud look begins to develop on Muscular's face at the sight of his opponent in such dire straits.

However, Stain's body begins to tremor. He looks to be struggling to pry himself from the wall. Muscular's expression turns smug as he moves forward to finish the fight. Suddenly, Stain flicks his blade around and brings the edge to his move. As his tongue scrapes across the sword, Muscular's face turns from confidence to fear. Just like me, he begins to fall as his body is no longer capable of movement.

He collapses to the earth, face down. The shaking of his body tells me that he's trying to fight but he's incapable of resisting Stain's quirk. The villain continues to tremor on the ground as Stain approaches him while clutching his ribs. The Hero Killer firmly places his boot on the villain's back and raises his sword directly over where his heart would be.

I almost move to stop him but I hesitate when I consider the alternative. Letting Stain kill as he wants isn't right but there isn't much that I can do in this scenario. With his quirk still paralyzing me, I don't stand much of a chance against Stain. And if I use Erasure to tip the scales in Muscular's favor, then that results in another psycho roaming the forest that's capable of even more damage. So I reluctantly choose not to intervene as Muscular continues to struggle

"Why? Why the hell would you do it?!" Muscular screams out from his defeated position. "You're a member of the League, right? That little brat betrayed us so he needs to be dealt with! Why don't you understand that?"

"You're the one who doesn't understand what happened," Stain answers calmly. "Deku turned against you, not the League. And I know that that kid has what it takes to be a real hero. So if wiping out scum like you is what it takes to clear the path for him, I'm happy to do it."

Stain raises his katana before plunging directly through Muscular's chest. The villain gasps and starts to spasm before going limp. Blood erupts from the wound as Stain pulls the sword out. He returns to clutching his ribs as he staggers away from the body.

"Hold on a second," I demand as he makes his way closer to the forest. "Where do you think you're going?" I move to cut him off when I realize that I can freely move again. I didn't realize it in the heat of the fight but I can freely move again.

Stain stops for a second, looks me over, and resumes moving while saying "There's no more reason to fight. I've done my job of occupying you and I'm not interested in your students, so I'm retreating."

"I thought that wanted to test me or some crap like that," I mention, trying desperately to get him to stay.

"That's right and what you do next will determine whether or not you passed," he declares. "So think carefully about what a true hero would do."

My first thought is that a true hero would defeat the bad guy so I force myself into a fighting stance. But then I think about it, what I should be concerned about right now. What's the most important thing a hero can do? I drop my guard and start sprinting into the forest.

As expected, Stain doesn't attack me as I run into the treeline. He won't attack because I'm doing what he thinks a hero should do, worry about saving as many people as possible. For the first time in what feels like an hour, I turn my attention away from battle and back towards directly rescuing my students. My first hit should be to get a status update with the Pussycats and work from there. This is a desperate situation but I'm sure that my class can pull through.

As their teacher, I promise that I will not lose a single one of my students.

* * *

 **This is probably the most fight-iest chapter/thing I've ever written in my life. Whenever I couldn't think of what to write next, I would stand up and act out the fight to see what the next coolest move would be. This lead to a bunch of moments of me dancing around my room like an idiot.**

 **Even with that masterful technique, writing a fight that's easy to understand is really hard so I apologize if there's moments of confusion. I'm also scared that killing Muscular might be too edgy but that just feels like what Stain would do. I'm kinda scared to take the story to slightly darker places since I have no idea what I'm doing but that's never stopped me before.**

 **It's impossible to know when you'll be reading this but it's late December for me. So I hope that, whenever you are, you have a pleasant holiday and a good start to the New Year. I'll do my best to be a better writer in 2019 and I hope you'll stick with me on the way.**

 **See ya.**


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